Now That We Know It
by forrealrightnow
Summary: A year after an extraordinary coincidence, Quinn and Santana are blissfully living together in NYC. Through all that life throws at them, can they keep that bliss intact? Find out in the sequel to We Laugh Just a Little Too Loud. Future!Fic
1. That's My Line

**Well, here it is: The Sequel! I'm genuinely sorry that this has taken as long as it has, but in my defense, I've got really high expectations for myself and really just want this to be great. I think what I have so far is actually pretty good and I really just hope that you all like it. I'm also quite sorry to inform everyone that I'm not going to be able to update this with a regular schedule like WLJALTL. I hope you won't hate me too much for it. **

**One really big, important note for this entire story: There is a complete and utter disregard for Season 3. Like WLJALTL, this story is canon only up to Season 2, anything referenced that happens after Season 2, I've completely made up.**

**Anyways, without further ado, here is Now That We Know It.**

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August 2015, New York City  
Union Square, E 12th and Broadway

After living in New York City for just barely a year, Quinn must have visited the Strand nearly a million times. That may be an exaggeration, but it sure felt like a million times to Quinn. The Strand had been her favorite place in New York since she got there. Today, she felt an anxiousness she'd never felt before as she swung open the door and inhaled the scent of old and new bound paper being wafted towards her. With every creaking step into the store, she felt the feeling grow. It peaked when her eyes landed on what she'd been walking towards since she walked in.

Unable to take her eyes off of what was in front of her, Quinn subconsciously drew her bottom lip between her teeth. After pausing for a moment to adjust her dress under her messenger bag, she took the remaining ten steps that brought her to her destination.

Trying to keep her excitement out of her voice and making it sound as smooth and sexy as possible, she said to the only person near her, "Holy shit."

"Hey, that's my line!"

"I know," Quinn said through a smile as she slipped her hand into a tan one, "but you looked pretty into what you were doing, sexy concentration face and all, so I needed something clever to get your attention."

Quinn watched as a faint blush appeared on the cheeks of the girl standing in front of her. A familiar smirk appeared as the blush faded away and through it she said, "You could have just smacked my ass or something."

"Santana Lopez, we are in public!" Quinn scolded her shameless girlfriend and gave her arm a light smack for good measure.

"Okay, High School Rachel," Santana chided.

"Ooo, that hurts," Quinn said sarcastically as she clutched her fist over her heart.

After rolling her eyes, Santana gave a little squeeze to Quinn's hand and asked, "How was your interview?"

"Oh my god! I was so excited to see you that I completely forgot! I got it!" Quinn said through a glowing smile.

Santana's eyes lit up and she exclaimed, "Babe, that's great!"

"Yeah! She liked me so much, she gave it to me on the spot! You are looking at one of New York City's newest editing interns!" Quinn said still beaming.

"I am so happy for you!" Santana smiled and then right in the middle of all of their favorite Classics, she grabbed Quinn's face and kissed her.

"Thank you," Quinn said breathlessly as their lips parted.

"It was just a kiss," Santana said through a cocky grin.

"The happy for me part!" Quinn scowled and smacked Santana's arm for the second time this outing.

Through a soft laugh Santana said to Quinn, "Come on, let's get you a celebratory blueberry muffin."

"Can we walk around for a little bit?" Quinn asked as she wrapped both of arms around Santana's right, "I need a new book."

"You do _not_ need a new book," Santana said as they made their way to the towering bookcases.

"Yes I do! I've read all the books in the apartment already!" Quinn pouted and steered her girlfriend towards a large table located between the stacks.

"Just so you know, I refuse to build you another book case," Santana said letting go of Quinn's hand and crossing her arms.

"You don't have to. After this, I probably won't have time to read for myself anyways," Quinn shrugged and then caught sight of a title she'd never seen before.

"I'm getting you a Kindle for your birthday," Santana huffed.

"No you are not! That's what's putting book stores out of business! Besides, I'm serious about probably not being able to read for myself anymore," Quinn responded, genuinely sad at how true the statement was. Between an internship and the schedule for the upcoming semester she had to make in order to graduate on time, she actually wondered if she'd have time for Santana, let alone a stranger's words.

"It's also preventing apartments from looking like this place," Santana said, broadly gesturing to the shelves around them.

Without looking up from the table and with a hip bump, Quinn said in return, "You love this place."

"Right, I love _this_ place. I would _not_ love for our home to turn into it, though. I'm really hoping I'm not in love with a hoarder," Santana joked.

"I'm getting this one," Quinn said defiantly waving a book at Santana.

"Whatever you want," Santana said and then turned around to walk out of the section.

Quinn followed but directed her eyes back down to the book to reread the blurb on the back. Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain in her left foot.

"Ow!"

"Holy shit!"

"We did that already and ow!"

"I know," Santana said and shook her head a little, "I'm sorry, babe. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I think amputation can be avoided," Quinn said with her classic sarcasm. Noticing the worry on her girlfriend's face, however, she quickly became concerned, "S, what's wrong?"

"Look beyond the book case and to the left, in the Classic section," Santana said as she grabbed Quinn's hand and pulled her towards the edge of the book case.

Not seeing anything particularly worrisome, Quinn turned her head back to Santana and said, "What are you talking about, all I see is a red... head..." Quinn trailed off her sentence suddenly knowing exactly what Santana was so worried about, "Mackenzie."

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**So, what'd you think?**


	2. I Am Plenty Loquacious

August 2015, New York City  
Union Square, Surrounded by Fiction

Despite the fact that she knew there was no stopping her girlfriend from adding yet another brick of bound pages to their ever growing collection, Santana decided that she really wanted to give her shit for it. When she had asked Quinn to move in with her a little over a month ago, she knew that as an English major she'd have a decent collection of books, she didn't think she'd have to go to Ikea, buy and then assemble TWO bookcases to put them all in. There was no way those milk crates that Quinn was keeping them in were making their way into the apartment. No way.

Of course, coming to the Strand was Santana's idea and she should have known that Quinn was going to want a book. She did know that an attack on Quinn's book collection would spark some witty banter, which she loved. What better way to celebrate the year anniversary of their lucky reunion than with some clever dialogue and a visit to the place where it all _re-_started?

"You love this place," Santana heard as her hip was bumped by the blonde next to her.

"Right, I love _this_ place," Santana said making sure she specified, "I would _not_ love for our home to turn into it, though. I'm really hoping that I'm not in love with a hoarder," she added knowing that Quinn is actually the queen of throwing things away... except for books.

With a book being waved in her face, Santana heard Quinn say, "I'm getting this one."

'_There's no stopping her'_ "Whatever you want," Santana said with a smile _and_ an eye roll she hoped Quinn didn't see and turned to walk out of the section.

At least she thought she was going to walk out of the section.

The instant she saw the unmistakable hair from Hades lingering in the Classics section, Santana retreated back into the cove she and Quinn had been lingering in.

"Ow!"

"Holy shit!" Santana gulped out, only vaguely realizing that she'd accidentally stepped on Quinn in her effort to hide from her bat-shit-crazy ex that hadn't even seen her.

"We did that already and ow," Quinn said as she pointed to her foot.

"I know," Santana responded and actually realized what she'd done. Shaking away as much of her shock as she could, she said to Quinn, "I'm sorry, Babe. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I think amputation can be avoided," Quinn said with a smile. Santana knew that she was joking and usually she'd be laughing at her girlfriend's sarcastic remark, but right in this moment, all she could do was try her best suppress the panic rising in her chest. "S, what's wrong?" Quinn asked without the smile she had before. Clearly, Santana wasn't doing such a good job at hiding the anxiety.

She realized Quinn had every right to know why her foot was crushed. "Look beyond the book case and to the left, in the Classics section," she said switching their positions so that Quinn could see the cause of her fear.

After only looking for about a half a second, Quinn returned from the end of the book case and with a skeptical look said, "What are you talking about, all I see is a red... head..." Quinn's sentence trailed off and Santana could practically see the light bulb floating over her head, "Mackenzie."

"Uh huh. The _actual_ devil reincarnate. You know, I'm positive that when no one's looking, those ginger curls turn into flames, like Ghost Rider and Hades from _Hercules_, flames," Santana said still slowly backing away from the end of the section.

Taking Santana's hand, Quinn began to say, "Okay, I know that she's like, this crazy, super bitch, but we do need to leave the store and we have to pass that section to do that."

"I know, but couldn't we just like, camp out here for a little," she looked to her left and reached up, grabbing a random book off of the nearest shelf, "look, we have plenty of entertainment!"

"She could easily walk over to this section," Quinn deadpanned as she crossed her arms and shifted her weight to her right leg.

Santana hated how right Quinn was. If they stayed where they were and Mackenzie approached them, she'd have the upper hand, but if they were the ones moving they would have it. And it would be two against one. Well, probably more like, one and half against one. Santana wasn't really sure how useful she'd be in an altercation. Actually, she was _really_ hoping that they'd be able to avoid Bitchface all together.

"Okay, let's go," Santana said, trying to sound defiant, "I promised you a celebratory muffin."

"Ahh, there's my tough, badass girlfriend," Quinn said with a wink.

"You're right, I am badass! I'm from Lima Heights Adjacent!" Santana said, this time with actual defiance.

"Yeah!" Quinn agreed as Santana took her hand.

After they had rounded the bookcase and made it about halfway to the Classics section where Mackenzie was still loitering, Lima Heights Adjacent Santana slowly disappeared, "Maybe we could, like, cut through the creepy section..."

"We're almost there," Quinn said, leaning into Santana's shoulder and squeezing her hand, "I have your back."

Santana turned her head to look at her girlfriend's beautiful, smiling face. She smiled back as a sense of invincibility spread through her. With the smile still on her face, she turned to look forward again, just in time to make eye contact with the very person she'd been hoping to avoid.

"Oh my stars, if it isn't Santana Lopez," the thin, copper-topped demon said with a disgusting pageant smile and a southern dialect.

"It sure is," Santana heard a voice say from her left. She knew very well that it was Quinn, but this was not a happy Quinn. It wasn't even an angry Quinn. This was a Quinn that Santana had never experienced before.

"And you are...?" the voice scratched away at Santana's ear drums as the words were drawn out in that heinous southern drawl. It actually seemed like the sound hung in the air for a few seconds even after her mouth was closed.

"Quinn," the blonde said with a slight step forward and a tightening of the grip she had on Santana's hand, "Quinn Fabray."

This was Possessive Quinn. This wasn't something that Santana was used to, at all. Usually, she was the one that got all possessive, it was just in her nature. Seeing Quinn take her usual position, was really something else. Something that she couldn't really do anything about in the middle of a bookstore.

"My girlfriend," Santana finally said, finding her voice.

"I couldn't tell," the devil said looking down at the girls' hands. "Well," she started back up again doing that phony sweet smile all of the snobby southern belles do in the movies, "good luck, Quinn." She turned her head slightly to look Santana in the eyes and with the same fake smile said, "I hope she makes time in her _busy_ life for you."

"Puta loca," Santana mumbled under breath.

She heard Quinn breathe out a tiny laugh and felt her step forward once more, "I have no idea what you're talking about. Mostly because I'm not a selfish bitch who understands that my girlfriend can't spend every waking second with me-"

"Excuse m-"

"Just because you say 'excuse me,' it does not mean that you can interrupt me."

Both Santana and Quinn waited for Mackenzie to respond.

Nothing.

"Come on, S, we have a date to finish," Quinn said nudging Santana towards the front of the store.

"That's it," Mackenzie drawled out, "you jumped all over me and have nothing else to say. Well, aren't you verbose."

'_Oh no she didn't'_ Santana thought to herself.

Letting go of Santana's hand, Quinn stepped right up to Mackenzie and in the quietest, most terrifying voice, Santana had ever heard come out of her girlfriend's mouth, she said, "I am plenty loquacious, but you aren't nearly worth the effort. I suggest you walk very far away from us. _Now_."

Santana watched as her demon-spawn ex backed up and walked away from her too many words that mean amazing girlfriend. As Quinn watched Mackenzie walk away, Santana watched Quinn. Her mouth was wide open as she tried to process what had just happened.

Turning back and looking obviously satisfied with herself, Quinn chuckled when she met Santana's eyes, "Keep your pants on Lopez, we're still in public."

Shaking off the lust on her face, Santana returned, "It's not _my_ pants you should be worried about."

"Wanna skip the muffin?" Quinn asked with slight jerk of her head towards the exit and subtle nibble on her bottom lip.

"Oh hells yes!"

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**Thanks to everyone for the Alerts/Favorites/Reviews. As always, I love hearing from you!**


	3. Green?

August 2015, New York City  
W 4th St. Station, A Bench

As of the first of August, Quinn and Santana had been officially together for seven months. As of this _day_, they had been officially living together for five days. Quinn's lease didn't end until the fifteenth so, technically, she still had an apartment in Morningside Heights while she was shacking it up in TriBeCa with Santana. So, before then, she still had a place to escape to if things ever went awry... which they didn't.

Quinn was happy. She was mostly happy because she knew that Santana was happy and that was something had been difficult for the Latina to find in her life. Knowing that she made the girl she was in love with happier than she'd ever been before made Quinn just as happy. Really, it was just a big disgusting ring of happiness that refused let up and Quinn wouldn't have it any other way.

Despite both of their busy lives, they still managed to spend plenty of time together. It helped that they realized they were going to have to work harder at making time for each other than they did in the months that they'd spent figuring out they were falling for each other. Quinn spending practically every single night in the last seven months at Santana's apartment helped, too. So, Quinn wasn't lying when she told Mackenzie that she had no idea what she was talking about. They had even managed to make time for their best friends, Rachel and Kurt, having weekly get togethers at each other's apartments.

Quinn was living the life she never realized she wanted and it was perfect.

"It is so hot," Santana breathed out as she leaned back against the bench.

"You're the one who wanted to take the subway," Quinn said as she crossed her eyes to see a bead of sweat roll down the bridge of her nose.

"I didn't want to hear you complaining about the possibility of getting a sunburn the whole walk home," Santana said dropping her head to her left to look at Quinn.

"Well, not all of us were blessed with Global Warming ready skin," Quinn said, furrowing her brow.

Santana laughed a little and poked Quinn's bare thigh, "And I'm sure you didn't want to hear me complain about how damn hot it is outside the whole walk."

"Hun, if you hadn't suggested it, I was going to! Besides, we can people watch in the air conditioned subway car together, our fave," Quinn chuckled.

"You know me so well," Santana said with a big smile. She leaned over a little and kissed Quinn's cheek.

"Mmm," Quinn hummed at the feel of her girlfriend's lips on her skin. Instinctively, she wanted to put her head onto Santana's shoulder and sandwich her hands between hers however, the heat radiating off of Santana's body made her instantly change her mind.

"You know, it was always my understanding that the further down the earth you go, the colder it got," Santana mused as she fanned herself with Quinn's new book.

Taking her book back, Quinn responded, "I think subway stations are an exception to that understanding."

"Oh my god!" Santana whined as she hopped up off the bench. She walked the few steps to the yellow line and leaned over the tracks a little to look into the tunnel, "Where the hell is the train?"

"You're exerting more energy than necessary doing that," Quinn shook her head, "You should sit back down with me."

Santana rolled her eyes and plopped back down on the bench, "Watch, now a train is going to come."

"Because you sat down?"

"Yes! And then I'm going to have to get back up again," Santana huffed.

"I hope it does," Quinn laughed.

"Rude."

Quinn laughed again and started adjusting her messenger bag. She actually did hope that Santana was right about the coincidence. The heat was really starting to get unbearable.

The girls sat in silence for a few more seconds until they both felt the stifling, stagnant air shift slightly around them.

"And there it is," Santana said getting back up off the bench and slinging her back pack over one of her shoulders.

"Well then, it's a good thing you got up and sat back down, we'd never be getting out of here," Quinn snarked just before the E train whooshed past them and came to a stop.

"You are just _the_ funniest girlfriend anyone could ask for," Santana deadpanned as they stepped onto the train.

As she laughed to herself, Quinn steered Santana in the direction of a space near the end of the car where they could both sit. For an entire stop, they sat in near silence only giving clock directions to point out people they were watching.

About halfway into the second stop, Quinn felt a hand slide across her thigh to grab her hand. She stopped her discreet staring at a woman who looked way too much like Lady GaGa to look at Santana.

"I love you," Santana sighed through half smile.

"I love you, too," Quinn said back and followed through with her instinct to put her head on her girlfriend's shoulder.

Putting her head lightly on Quinn's, Santana whispered, "Thank you."

"For what?" Quinn wondered out loud as she traced circles on the back of Santana's hand.

"For kicking ass... and being my hero... and stuff," Quinn was positive that she could feel Santana rolling her eyes.

Quinn picked her head up and straightened her body out, "I told you that if I ever met Mackenzie I'd kick her ass," she looked up at the ceiling for a second, "if we weren't in the middle of my favorite place, I probably would have _actually_ done it."

"Ummm... I think what you did was _way_ better. You totally put her in her place. It was unbelievable and so hot," Santana said with her cocky grin.

Quinn laughed and shook her head, "She is absolutely obnoxious... and that accent... ew... where is she from?"

"Some small town in Louisiana. She's like, a debutante or something so she has that 'I'm entitled' mentality," Santana answered making her annoyance with the girl clear.

"Ugh! She pissed me off!" Quinn said. She made her feel something else, too, but she wasn't sure she wanted Santana to know that a shade of possession had washed over her. She'd probably never hear the end of it.

The train's brakes started to screech letting the girls know that their stop was coming up. Quinn watched as Santana got up and swung around the pole in front of her. Leaning into the pole and back towards Quinn, Santana said through a smirk, "You know, you look really hot in green."

Quinn looked down to see not a single article of green on her person. She looked back up with a clueless look and said, "What are you talking about? I'm not wearing green."

Santana laughed as the doors opened and continued to laugh as she walked towards them.

"What is so funny?" Quinn questioned following Santana out of the train and into the stifling Chambers St. station air. She followed Santana through a turnstile and up the stairs, listening to her laughter the whole time. "Come on, S!" she whined as they rounded the top of the stairs and turned in the direction of their apartment.

"Come on, Miss Loquacious. Green?" Santana smirked and stepped onto the street to cross it.

'_Green?'_ Quinn questioned to herself. Then, suddenly it hit her and she instantly jumped off the curb to chase Santana down. "Santana!"

As soon as she got to the curb, Santana turned around and started laughing once again.

"Stop laughing!" Quinn whined and nudged Santana to start walking again.

"I'm sorry," Santana said as her laughter faded.

Quinn huffed as she felt Santana's hand slide across her lower back and settle on her hip, but allowed it to stay there... despite how hot it was. They walked that way all the way to their building, Quinn keeping her arms crossed and Santana with her thumb hooked in Quinn's belt loop. With Quinn refusing to move her arms, Santana had to give in and unlock the door to the building. Quinn walked in first and was on her way to walking up the stairs when she was tugged back by her messenger bag, "Heymm-"

Her protest was stopped by a pair of soft lips. Those lips also managed to convince her arms to uncross and drape themselves over the shoulders the lips' owner. When their lips parted, she sighed and then leaned forward for more. Santana moved her head slightly, bringing her mouth close to Quinn's ear where she whispered, "You are the sexiest possessive girlfriend."

Quinn giggled and shook her head as she remembered why they were returning home in the first place. Forgetting that she was ever annoyed with her girlfriend, she took her hands and led her up the stairs their apartment where pants coming off wasn't something they had to "worry" about.

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**A/N: I know things seem to be going pretty slow, but I promise there are pay offs. Yes, I said pay off_s_... with an "s." So as per usual, let me know what you think! I love hearing from you!**


	4. Recorded

August 2015, New York City  
TriBeCa, A Room with a View

There's this conception that watching someone while they're sleeping is extremely creepy. Clearly, those people aren't in love, nor do they sleep with the most beautiful person in the world on a regular basis. Santana often found herself watching her girlfriend, who she was in love with and thought was the most beautiful person in the world, sleep. Usually, Quinn would fall asleep before Santana and somehow, Santana would usually wake up before Quinn. By now, Santana could probably mimic Quinn's breathing pattern from memory and there was no way she'd be able to fall asleep without hearing the quiet snore that let her know that Quinn was asleep.

This afternoon's post-coital slumber was no different. For the last ten minutes Santana had been awake watching Quinn. She knew that she should probably get up and start getting ready for their evening, but she couldn't get herself to leave the bed. Outside of the bed, the A/C had been blasting cold air for two hours and inside, with Quinn, it was warm. She wasn't exactly dressed for the temperature change that would happen when she removed the covers, either.

After another five minutes of staring and internal debating, Santana finally decided to tear her eyes away and bear the frigid air. She leaned forward to kiss Quinn's cheek and started to lift her half of the covers off of her.

"Finally done staring at me?"

"Uhhh..." Santana released as she stopped moving.

Quinn giggled and reached out to pull Santana back towards her.

"How long have you been awake?" Santana asked afraid that Quinn was one of those people that thinks staring at someone while they sleep is creepy.

"How long have you been staring at me?" Quinn asked through a smile as she slid her leg over both of Santana's, preventing her from moving.

"I... don't... know...?"

Quinn kissed Santana's shoulder and whispered, "It's okay. It's sweet. But you woke me up."

"Sorry," Santana whispered back, still feeling a little embarrassed that she was caught.

Quinn rolled her eyes, yawned and asked, "What time is it?"

"Quarter to five," Santana answered back and then caught the contagion that is yawning.

"You should probably start getting ready," Quinn said with a smirk.

"Then let me up!" Santana laughed and didn't even attempt to move out from underneath Quinn.

"But you're such a great body pillow," Quinn giggled as she buried her face into Santana's shoulder.

"Okay, you can't tell me to get up and then hold me here," Santana said rolling her eyes.

Quinn tightened her grip around Santana briefly and then let go completely. She frowned and let her displeasure known through an, "Okay."

Santana reached up to cup Quinn's cheek and leaned in to steal a kiss from her lips. "I love you," she sighed when she took her lips back.

Quinn was wearing that face... the one that always showed up right before she said, "I love you, too." It was Santana's favorite expression, just beating out Quinn's O face...

Through a smirk that appeared with her last thought, Santana prepped herself to leave the bed and said, "Well, here I go." She paused, thinking, _'like a Band-Aid,'_ then flipped the covers off and jumped out of the bed. "Holy crap!"

Quinn's stifled laughter bubbled over as she blurted out, "Those things could probably cut diamonds!"

"That isn't the expression," Santana deadpanned as she pulled on a pair of shorts.

"I know, but-"

"I have to get ready!" Santana huffed and walked out of the room as Quinn's laughter grew louder. She stomped down the hallway and slammed the bathroom door behind her... for no reason... which she was completely aware of and started laughing when she realized what Quinn meant. Her laughter slowed and she was suddenly aware of knocking on the door, "yeah?"

"Can I use your computer?" Santana could hear Quinn's pout through the door. She was pouting because she knew Santana hated it when anyone that wasn't Santana touched her lap top.

She also knew that Santana couldn't deny the pout... and Santana knew that Quinn knew, but still, "Yeah sure. Be careful!"

"I know, beautiful!"

Santana sighed, turned on the water and thought about how much she must love that girl.

Twenty minutes later as she wiped down the mirror, she debated whether or not she should brush her teeth. A simple question directed to her girlfriend would solve that, "Hey Q?" She waited a couple seconds for a response but received nothing. Concluding that she wasn't loud enough the first time, she upped the decibel of her call, "BABE!"

"Uhwhat?" Santana heard Quinn break out of some sort of concentration to respond.

"You hungry? I can make something while you get ready."

"Yeah sure," Quinn sounded really distracted. Usually when Santana suggested making one of her original concoctions, Quinn would instantly ask what she was making. With her curiosity blooming, Santana wrapped her towel around herself and stepped out into the hallway.

"What are you doing?"

'_I hate how my voice sounds recorded... wait... what?'_

"I'm trying to take a picture, but nothing's happening."

Santana stopped dead in her tracks, the sound of a voice she hadn't heard in three years smacking her in the face and hurdling her back in time.

"_I forgot this thing even had a camera," Santana said as she crept up behind her high school love._

"_I know," the blonde giggled at the Latina's soft lips on her bare shoulder._

_Without looking up at the lap top to attempt to figure out what Brittany might be doing wrong, Santana put more deliberation in her movements. Her kisses turned into bites and sucks and Brittany's giggles turned into moans._

_In perfect sync and without removing their lips from each other, they both lifted themselves and moved to the bed behind them. The very little amount of clothing they had on found its way to the floor in seconds and in just as little time, Santana's mouth found Brittany's nipple._

"_San..."_

The towel clad Santana of today shook her head hard after hearing her name moaned out by someone who hadn't done so in years. No matter how hard she shook her head though, the images inside of it remained and the voices kept playing in the kitchen. She saw it all in third person, the same way anyone would that watched the video that Brittany accidentally recorded.

"_Oh my god... San."_

Santana's hand went to her chest as she felt it caving in. She knew it wasn't actually imploding, but it felt damn close to it. Then, without even thinking about it, her legs were carrying her forward towards the kitchen and the sounds from the past she'd finally gotten over. Caught somewhere between horror and rage, all Santana was aware of was that the video kept playing and Quinn didn't look up from it when Santana entered the kitchen.

Watching Quinn watch a video that Santana had gladly forgotten even existed, the horror that mixed with the rage and fogged her mind completely, disappeared and all she could see was a shade of red she hadn't seen in quite some time. Then Quinn did something that completely set her over the edge: she smirked. Gulping away the lump in her throat that would have prevented anything coherent from coming out, Santana balled her fists at her sides and hissed, "What are you doing?"

Quinn jumped, finally looking up from the screen. Without stopping it, she spoke over the moans coming from the speakers, "Watching a beautiful piece of cinema." And there was that smirk again.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Santana's rage spat out as she lunged forward to shut the lap top and make the relentless sounds of the past end.

"S, it's okay," Quinn said through a soft smile and reached her hand out to stroke Santana's forearm.

Violently, Santana yanked her hand away. After rubbing away the pain from slamming her knuckles into the refrigerator's handle, she ground out, "It is _not_ okay! Does it look like I think this is okay? Why the fuck would you even open that, let alone watch the whole fucking thing?"

Standing up from the stool she'd calmly been sitting on, Quinn placed both of her palms on the counter top and leaned forward towards Santana, "Why did you keep it?"

Her voice was low but her tone was deliberate and for some reason it sent Santana flying over the edge that she'd been towing since she had entered the kitchen. With thinking completely out the window at this point, Santana took a breath and sent something blindly out of her mouth, "I didn't think that a nosy bitch would go through all of my old files."

For the second time, Santana felt herself freeze but this time, regret hit her like a high school slushie.

She watched as Quinn slowly removed her palms from the countertop and backed away from the island. The hurt spread across her face and Santana felt tears approaching as it happened. She really knew she had thoroughly fucked up when Quinn's lips curled into themselves and she said dryly, "I'm going to get ready. We'll be late for the show."

Quinn padded her way around the island, deliberately away from Santana. All Santana could do was watch her and then listen as she walked down the hall to their room and then across the hall to bathroom where she didn't even slam the door. A door slam would indicate anger, Santana could deal with anger, but Quinn wasn't angry.

No matter how many times Santana said she was sorry, Quinn refused to say a word to her from the instant she stepped out of the bathroom until now, in the lobby of an off-Broadway theatre waiting for Rachel to come out. Luckily, Kurt was there with plenty of conversation, but unfortunately, he was far too perceptive for his own good and without saying anything made it clear he could tell the girls weren't speaking to each other.

As Rachel stepped out of the theatre's entrance, Santana threw on the biggest smile she could muster even though she knew Rachel would know it was fake. The three of them waited as Rachel signed Playbills and took pictures with the adoring fans she'd always wanted.

"So, where are we going to dinner? I'm famished," Rachel sighed as she finally approached her friends.

"Honey, that was the best thing you've ever done!" Kurt beamed and wrapped up his roommate in a giant hug.

"Thank you," Rachel smiled modestly.

"Really, Rach, that was fantastic," Quinn said stepping forward and mimicking Kurt's gesture.

"Thank you, Quinn."

And then it was Santana's turn. She was so distracted she could barely think of something to say to her best friend that she just watched sing and act her ass off for two hours. "You were _soo_ good," she mustered and then quickly pulled Rachel into a hug.

As soon as she felt Rachel's hair brush her cheek, she heard her whisper, "I know that fake smile anywhere."

"I'm sorry," Santana whispered back.

"It's okay," Rachel said as she pulled away, "Let's go to that place on 9th and 46th," she suggested to the group.

"Mercury Bar?" Kurt questioned clearly excited about the choice.

"Yup!" Rachel said popping the 'p' a little too hard and then threaded her arm into Santana's, "Lead the way G-Biff!"

Kurt rolled his eyes and turned Quinn around to walk out of the theatre. Rachel kept Santana back a few steps and the second the started walking, fired away, "What did you say to her?"

"What makes you think that this is _my_ fault?" Santana said trying to sound offended, but failing miserably.

"You couldn't even fake offense at that."

Santana sighed and contemplated the quickest way to tell Rachel what had happened without sounding like the biggest asshole on the planet. She rapidly came to the conclusion that it was impossible for her not to sound like she was an asshole for what she'd said.

After a deep breath Santana exhaled, "Quinn found this video on my computer... of... of Brittany and me..."

"And you flipped out?" Rachel asked in an understatement.

"I called her a nosy bitch," Santana breathed out as she saw the blue lights of the bar they were on their way to come into view.

"You're an idiot."

That's all Rachel had to say. She didn't have to say why. She didn't have to say that Santana had to fix it. As always, Rachel was absolutely right.

"I know."

* * *

**A/N: You didn't think there wouldn't be any flashbacks did you? What would a WLJALTL sequel be without flashbacks? Completely inconsistent. Duh. Anyways, as always I'd love to know what you think. It makes me want to write more. I guess I'm just a writing whore who likes to be paid in compliments... okay I'll stop. Sorry. That won't happen again.**


	5. Shut Up

August 2015, New York City  
W. 42nd St Between 9th and 10th

When we were children, we would exhaust every method possible to try to get our way. We would threaten to hold our breath until we turned blue, threw ourselves on the ground, kicking and screaming, and sometimes we would throw things around the the house knowing full well that our parents would at least give us a portion of what we wanted in an effort to save their precious breakable things. Often, we'd attempt the silent treatment. For some reason we thought our parents couldn't live without hearing their child's voice for more than a minute. Little did we know that it was _actually_ a blessing for them. Finally, sensing that our parents really didn't care that we weren't speaking to them after an hour or so, we'd quit and try one of our other fool proof methods.

As we grow up, we learn that our "fool proof" methods of getting our way lose their effect entirely. Adults look insane when they throw fits and know that they'll never be able to hold their breath until they turn blue. Knowing the value of a dollar, we won't go around throwing and breaking things, either. For some reason though, we discover that sometimes that one method that _never_ worked, works the best. It works especially well with the person we find ourselves in love with.

Quinn knew that the silent treatment was absolutely childish, but she also knew that it worked. In the nearly eight months that she had been with Santana, she'd never resorted to it. There was no reason to. Until now. Really, she didn't want to talk to Santana after being called a "nosy bitch." While yes, she was being nosy, she didn't deserve to be called a bitch, too.

Her silence started the instant she walked out of the bathroom. She could smell the apology bacon before she opened the door and as she was opening it, she could hear the foot steps rushing towards her. With a plate of bacon in hand, Santana said the words "I'm sorry," more times than Quinn could count. Quinn refused to budge and when she was finally able to make it past Santana and the scent of her favorite food, she slammed the bedroom door in her face. She then resisted Santana's pounding on the door, even when she was sure she'd heard her head hit it.

The silence held their entire walk to the A train and the whole ride to 42nd Street. When they got to the theatre, Quinn was happy to see their friend Kurt waiting for them outside with all of their tickets in hand. She was even more happy to find out that there was only fifteen minutes until curtain and she'd have a better reason to stay silent for two hours.

Quinn knew that the instant Kurt saw her and Santana he'd know that something was wrong. He didn't say anything, but he gave Quinn a look telling her that they'd find a way to talk about it before they parted ways at the end of the night. Yeah, he said all that in a look... and a text. Quinn was thankful that he had plenty to say out loud as well, filling the time before the show, during intermission and after it when they were waiting for Rachel to join them.

Then, she was thankful for Rachel. If there was anyone that knew Santana as well as, if not more than Quinn, it was Rachel. Rachel would know that something was wrong with Santana and she'd make it so that the four could split into twos.

She'd also slap Santana in the face with how wrong she was, while Kurt would tell Quinn that she didn't deserve to be called a bitch. Then, they could all have a pleasant dinner together talking about how great Rachel's show was, Quinn's new internship and learn what it was that Kurt had been dying to tell them.

"So, where are we going to dinner, I'm famished," Rachel said when she was finally able to get to the friends that had been waiting for her.

Kurt threw his arms out in the air and squealed, "Honey, that was the best thing you've ever done!"

"Thank you," Rachel returned.

Quinn had to admit that the show was really great and Rachel really was the best she'd ever been. Clearly, Juilliard was exactly what Rachel needed. So, when Quinn said, "Really, Rach, that was fantastic," she wasn't just saying it.

"Thank you, Quinn," Rachel said through a humbled smile and then made her way to Santana who was sporting a cover up smile that upon seeing it, suddenly gave Quinn a sensation of unwarranted guilt... at least she thought it was unwarranted.

"You were _soo_ good," Quinn heard Santana say half-heartedly.

As she watched them hug and whisper to each other, Kurt leaned in and whispered, "You have a weird clueless and guilty look on your face."

Quinn turned around to say something but before she could Rachel's voice rang in, "Let's go to that place on 9th and 46th."

"Mercury Bar?" Kurt responded ignoring the fact that Quinn was going to say something to him.

"Yup," Rachel said as she threaded her arm through Santana's, "Lead the way gay G-Biff!"

Quinn laughed silently as Kurt threaded his arm through hers and lead her towards the glass doors that took them to 42nd Street's sidewalk.

"So, what did she say?" Kurt asked in a lowered tone as they stepped out into the hot summer night.

"She called me a bitch," Quinn answered simply.

"That can't be it," Kurt said as they turned left onto 9th Avenue and crossed 42nd Street.

Quinn sighed and decided it was probably better to not leave out certain details, "A 'nosy bitch' to be specific."

"I'm thinking the word 'nosy' found it's way in there for a reason and since we only have a few blocks left, I suggest that you don't lie to me," Kurt pursed his lips.

Sighing yet again, Quinn began to tell the events of the afternoon as quickly as she could, "While Santana was in the shower I borrowed her computer to check my email and then I got this urge to listen one of her old mash-ups. While I was looking for it, I kind of got side-tracked and clicked on a video..."

"Of...? We have three blocks, Q," Kurt said impatiently.

Still not knowing why Santana was so upset about it, Quinn nonchalantly answered, "Of her and Brittany having sex."

"What?" Kurt asked shocked.

"I don't see why it's such a big deal!"

"Is that how you responded when she started screaming at you?" Kurt asked as they waited to cross the street.

"Pretty much," Quinn answered.

"You realize why she got so upset, right?"

"Because she's a fiery Latina that gets irrationally upset at things," Quinn shrugged being both serious and sarcastic.

"Well, that and-"

"Because she isn't over Brittany," Quinn interrupted, the concept suddenly smacking her right upside the head. As she felt a new hurt rise up inside of her, she looked back to see that Rachel and Santana were a block behind.

"Shut. Up."

"I'm serious. She can't be over her if she-"

"No, I'm serious: shut up," Kurt punctuated by yanking on Quinn's arm.

"Ow!"

"I cannot believe you would _ever_ think that. She looks at you like there is no other person in the world. She was depressed for nearly six months because of Brittany. You opened and watched something really personal and then treated it like it was nothing. I think she had every right to be angry. You could have shown _a little_ bit of sympathy, but instead you probably joked about it, didn't you?" Kurt said quickly through a forceful whisper.

"Umm..." was all that Quinn utter as she felt that previous pang of guilt sit in her stomach.

"I think you two have more to talk about than you thought," Kurt stated as they watched Rachel and Santana catch up to them in front of the bar.

Quinn couldn't even respond. She just stood there feeling her guilt grow with every step her girlfriend took towards her.

...}{...

Quinn and Santana's Apartment  
Two and a Half Hours Later

Despite the knowledge bestowed upon her by Kurt only a few hours prior, Quinn had decided that at this point, she'd be too embarrassed to apologize. She knew it was stupid, but she had already gone this long with the silence and Santana _had_ called her a bitch...

"You're sleeping in the spare room?" Santana questioned from the doorway into their room. Quinn could hear the tears behind her voice, making it difficult for her to fight off her own. She couldn't answer and just ducked away, closing the door behind her.

As soon as the door was closed she climbed into the cold spare bed and cried lightly into the foreign smelling pillow. As her tears wet the fabric under her cheek, she promised herself that this wouldn't last beyond the morning and that she'd apologize first. Actually, she figured she'd have to apologize first seeing as she'd already rejected her girlfriend's apologies.

It was clear that there was a long overdue conversation ahead of them. The thought of it allowed for a flood of questions to enter Quinn's brain. Questions that should have been asked months ago when they were discussing everything that they deemed important enough to mention. Questions like, 'why have they never talked about Brittany?' and 'why did Santana _actually_ get so angry about the video?' shuffled through her head.

After forty-five minutes of endless thought and changing her positioning on the bed, she concluded that she was never going to fall asleep. Truth be told, she couldn't sleep without Santana. She didn't even need to be touching her, just their proximity was enough to lull Quinn to sleep. Right now, there was an actual wall between them and no matter how much of her body she pressed up against it, Quinn couldn't feel Santana.

She laid staring upwards into the darkness as she let her fingertips slide up and down the wall next to her. After a few swipes she began to hear drums and a guitar riff faintly being played on the other side. The song grew louder on the other side and kept growing until it could be felt through the wall. Quinn's tears started to kick in again as she recognized the song a mere beat before John Mayer started singing his apologetic lyrics:

**Still is the life  
****Of your room  
****When you're not inside  
****And all of your things  
****Tell the sweetest story line  
****Your tears on these sheets  
****And your footsteps are down the hall  
****So tell me what I did  
****I can't find where the moment went wrong at all  
****You can be mad in the morning  
****I take back what I said  
****Just don't leave me, alone here  
****It's cold baby  
****Come back to bed**

As the request repeated Quinn found herself climbing out of the bed she'd never slept in before and walked slowly to the door directly across from it. Her hand rested on the doorknob as the second verse kicked in.

**What will this fix  
****You know you're not a quick forgive  
****And I won't sleep through this  
****I survive on the breath you are finished with**

The door seemed to open on its own as she took in the relevance of the lyrics being blasted to her. She looked up from the floor she'd been staring at to find a piece of paper taped to the wall with the word 'Please' scrawled on it. She smiled through the tears that were falling down her cheeks. This was the cheesiest and most romantic thing that Santana shouldn't have had to do.

Quinn turned around and was met with another piece of paper: 'I'm so sorry.' The tears came a little harder after her eyes met with these words and they continued as she rapped on the door.

When the door flung open revealing a tear tracked Santana, Quinn exhaled heavily and stepped into the room to throw her arms around her girlfriend.

"Mr. Atkins is going to be so mad," Quinn said as she held on to Santana for dear life.

"Good thing my Aunt owns the building then," Santana said as she reached behind her to lower the volume.

Quinn loosened her grasp around Santana, cupped her cheeks and pulled her into a kiss that she hoped told Santana how sorry she was. To reinforce it, when Quinn broke the kiss, she whispered through tears that restarted during the kiss, "I'm so sorry."

"No, I deserved to not be spoken to. I shouldn't have said that to you," Santana whispered back, grasping at both of Quinn's hands.

"No not that... well, yes, that, but I mean for watching the video-"

"Can we not right now?" Santana asked looking down at their hands. She looked back up, "We should sleep. I'm so tired and so good at saying stupid things."

"Yeah, okay," Quinn answered slowly. She wasn't sure if that was the best idea now, but she knew that pushing it definitely wouldn't be the best idea.

"Come on, the bed is so empty without my little spoon," Santana said with a pout as she pulled Quinn towards the bed.

"That bed smells funny," Quinn said indicating towards the wall with her head.

They both climbed under the covers and quickly found the positioning that felt so perfect, Quinn saw it as sign that they were meant to be. Once they were completely settled, Santana placed a kiss on the back of Quinn's neck and whispered, "I promise, tomorrow morning we'll talk about everything."

"Everything?" Quinn questioned turning slightly in Santana's arms.

"Absolutely everything," Santana guaranteed. With another kiss to the back of Quinn's neck, "I love you so much."

"I love you, too," Quinn breathed out and hugged Santana's arm like a teddy bear.

* * *

**A/N: Look at me! At updating machine. I'm doing my best to get these out and I know you all wanted to know what happened after Santana blew up. You didn't think Quinn was going to be let off the hook for that did you? Well, you know I love to hear from you. Let me know what you think!**


	6. I'm Clairvoyant

August 2015, New York City  
On the Outside, Looking In

"_That was fun," the tall blonde said from Santana's shoulder._

"_It's always fun," Santana said through a laugh as she nuzzled her nose into the long blonde hair resting on her shoulder._

_Brittany turned off of Santana's shoulder onto her stomach and propped herself up on her elbows, "I think you should get a cat."_

"_What?" the dark haired girl asked, turning onto her side and holding her head up with her palm._

"_Yeah, so that when I go back home you won't be lonely," Brittany said through a half smile and a shrug._

"_I can't have sex with a cat, Britt," Santana joked, avoiding saying what she really wanted to say. As much as we want them to, animals don't give us the same love that humans do._

_Blonde eyebrows furrowed towards blue eyes and then one of them arched away, accompanied by a smirk, "Then maybe we should get you a vibrator."_

_Instantly, Santana regretted her joke. Brittany didn't understand, but Santana was convinced that she could make her. She had three weeks, that was plenty of time. "Maybe," Santana smirked back, yet again avoiding the elephant that clearly only she sensed._

"_Let's go to the park today!" Brittany suggested excitedly and bounced the bed, shaking Santana's previous thoughts out of her head and leaving all the ones that screamed how in love she was._

"_Which one?" Santana asked as she stared into an enraptured pair of blue eyes._

"_Central, it's so big we could spend all day there!"_

"_Sounds like a plan," Santana said with a wink._

"_Ahh! I'm so excited! I'm gonna take a shower," Brittany said bouncing the bed again. She pressed a kiss to Santana's lips and jumped out of the bed._

_Santana watched as the naked blonde made her way to the door and turned to the right to go into the spare room where all of her clothes were. To the left of the door was Santana's desk where her lap top was sitting. She was startled when she saw that she was looking at a full color, mirror image herself in the screen. Brittany must have turned off the sleep function at some point. As she walked towards the desk she rolled her eyes in an effort to avert them from the screen. She leaned down to shut off the camera program and noticed a changing timestamp at the bottom of the window._

"_Oh fuck! Bri-"_

As soon as the video ended, Santana command+Q-ed her way out and smacked the delete button. She forgot that Macs (and PCs) were cautious and made sure to ask you if you were confident you wanted to be rid of something by collecting your deleted items in a "trash bin" that, like in real life, you have to manually empty.

"Forget about the trash bin?" Santana heard a groggy voice ask her.

"How'd you know?" she asked without looking up and away from the wire trash bin on the end of her dock.

"I'm clairvoyant," Quinn said sarcastically as she crossed behind Santana to the fridge.

"Oh, so you had a dream about this or something?" Santana questioned, turning around to see that Quinn was actually making herself a cup of coffee with the Keurig.

"No," Quinn said through a laugh. She pressed a button on the coffee maker and turned around. Looking at Santana through her new pair of glasses, she tilted her head slightly to the side and said, "Actually, you're my favorite book."

"Your favorite book is _A Tale of Two Cities_ because you're lame," Santana joked, giving her best attempt at deflection.

Quinn was too smart to fall for it, though. She abandoned the cup of coffee she was making and took the two steps that brought her to the stool that was next to Santana. "You know what I meant," Quinn said in a low tone. Her hand moved to Santana's thigh and her thumb began lightly stroking the skin underneath it, "I can tell that you're thinking about something and you aren't sure if you want to talk about it."

Santana both hated and loved how well Quinn knew her. She hated that because Quinn knew her so well, she wound up always having to talk about her "feelings." She loved it for the same reason though because she knew that if they didn't talk about how they were feeling, they wouldn't be where they were. Right now, she was leaning a little more towards the hate. For the entire length of their relationship, she'd avoided actually talking about Brittany with Quinn. Aside from the fact that the heartbreak she'd endured at Brittany's hand had nearly caused Santana to sabotage her chance to be with Quinn, she didn't think it was really necessary to tell her about it.

Until now.

Staring at the crumpled paper that had materialized in the trash bin when she deleted the video, Santana took a deep breath and finally began telling Quinn what she should have months ago, "I should have realized that she wasn't going to stay in that moment," she pointed to the screen, indicating the video, "that was the first of multiple times talking about it and instead of seeing it, I was determined to get her to stay. I was so determined that I... ugh... I feel like such an idiot about it now..." she trailed off her thoughts as embarrassment took over.

Letting her eyes drift away from the computer screen, Santana found Quinn's hazel eyes concentrated on her. They weren't pressing her to keep going, actually they were telling her just the opposite, that she could stop if she wanted. For that exact reason, Santana felt compelled to keep going and tell Quinn the thing she'd never told anyone since it happened, "Eight hours before Brittany's plane back to Ohio was supposed to take off, I asked her to marry me. It was so asinine and selfish. I was desperate and it was all I could think of. Clearly, I know it was dumb and all of Brittany's reasons for saying 'no' and leaving were absolutely justified, but for a long time it killed me."

"You were in love," Quinn said softly and sympathetically, "that's all you saw."

Santana looked down and saw that Quinn's hand was still on her thigh. Her thumb had stopped but her fingertips were dancing tiny swirled patterns on her skin. It was so simple, but the butterflies still found their way into her stomach. Santana's tan hand found Quinn's pale one and squeezed it tightly, "The littlest things that you do, give me gigantic swells of butterflies in my stomach. I look into your eyes and I don't want to stop." She stopped talking when she felt a single tear drop slip from her eye and watched as it fell to her own hand. She looked up to see Quinn that had a tear of her own and a beautiful half smile on her lips.

Suddenly, she knew exactly why she had gotten so angry that Quinn was watching the video. Santana was without a doubt, head-over-heels, every cliché possible, in love with Quinn. She was more in love with Quinn than she ever thought she could be in love with anyone, so the last thing on Earth she ever wanted Quinn to see was a Santana that was in love with someone else... even if it was three years ago.

"You didn't get upset when you were watching it," Santana said as she wiped Quinn's tear off of her cheek with her thumb.

Quinn bit down on her lip and squinted her left eye a little bit. She looked like she was afraid to say what she wanted to, which was not good.

"Just so you know, I'm done getting all rage-tastic over this, so please, please, say whatever you want to," Santana practically begged, grabbing Quinn's hand between both of hers and kissing it.

Quinn pursed her lips and pushed up on the plastic frame of her glasses, "Would you rather I was upset about it?"

"I don't know," Santana answered honestly. She knew that she was mad that she wasn't upset about it yesterday, but today she felt completely different about the situation. "We always say to each other that the past is the past and we don't get jealous or angry at things we've done, so the fact that the video didn't make you start throwing everything in the kitchen at me wasn't what really set me off." She paused for a moment and then just started saying whatever popped into her head, "I think maybe it bothered me that you weren't acknowledging that _I_ was angry," she spoke slowly as she thought and it wasn't exactly prepared, but that explanation actually felt right.

"I know and I feel like such an ass for that. All I saw was that you were screaming over something that didn't seem worth it and then-"

"I called you a bitch and you didn't want to talk to me anymore. I'm sorry," Santana finished for her shaking her head.

"Oh, please, don't be," Quinn said in a matter-of-fact tone that surprised Santana. Less than twenty-four hours ago, she was so mad and now, she didn't seem to care. _'Kurt,'_ Santana thought. He got to Quinn like Rachel got to her. "You know, I have perfect vision when it comes to hindsight and I was totally nosy and _totally_ a bitch. _I'm_ sorry. But, in my defense, you did see the screen cap for the video, right?"

"Yeah... oh," Santana acknowledged and then laughed.

"Don't tell me that if you found a naked picture of me on my computer you wouldn't click on it," Quinn said through a quirked eyebrow.

"You're right, I totally would... and I guess maybe I wouldn't be able to stop the video of you and your ex getting your mack on right away either," Santana admitted as she rolled her eyes.

"I was kind of in shock... and then really intrigued... and I reacted so wrong to your anger and S, I am soo sorry," Quinn admitted in a somewhat scatterbrained fashion, slightly uncharacteristic of the well spoken English Major.

"I think we both reacted wrong..." _'no, that didn't sound right,'_ "Actually, we probably reacted right to the video but wrong to each other..." _'yeah, that's definitely right_.'

Quinn stood up and pulled her stool towards Santana. When her stool was completely invading Santana's personal bubble, she sat back down and reached for Santana's legs, picking them up and settling them down on her own. As Santana wrapped her legs around Quinn's back, Quinn pulled Santana's stool even closer to her own, "I love you."

"I love you," Santana whispered as her hands tucked under Quinn's tank top. "I love you so much and I just... I just didn't want you to see me being all romantic with someone else," she shrugged.

"That wasn't romantic," Quinn laughed lightly, "candle lit dinners on the roof are romantic. Wiping away my tear when you have your own is romantic. And what you did last night was romantic."

"Maybe romantic wasn't the word I was really looking for," Santana said, disappointed that her point hadn't seemed to have gotten across.

"No, I get it," Quinn's hands started inching up the insides of Santana's thighs as she spoke, "it's one thing to talk about the past, but to actually watch it... it's unprecedented."

"How are you so perfect?" Santana asked pulling herself impossibly closer to Quinn with her legs.

"I am _not_ perfect," Quinn laughed shyly.

"Yes, you are," Santana purred as she leaned in to kiss Quinn.

"How are _you_ so sexy all the time?" Quinn hummed, clearly regaining her confidence.

Santana bit down on her lip as Quinn kissed down her jawline, landing on her pulse point. As Quinn lightly sucked the skin at her lips, Santana's fingertips pressed into her back. A knot started building in her stomach and her center heated up as Quinn's knowledgeable mouth worked its magic on her neck. "Q," Santana moaned as Quinn's lips made their way to her own.

A tongue swept across a lip and entrance was granted. As their tongues danced slowly together, Quinn's hands moved to the swell of Santana's back and before she even knew what was happening, Quinn had stood up with Santana still wrapped around her. Santana broke the kiss and stared with all of her shock at Quinn and her thighs of steel. Quinn simply smiled as she pushed the stool she had been sitting on back with one of her feet and then turned to the island. Santana quickly gathered what was going on and placed her hands on the counter top, lifting herself just a little so that Quinn could set her down. "I think I want to show you just how sorry I really am," Quinn husked out with her irresistible smirk.

"Here?" Santana questioned, unsure of why because this situation was unbelievably hot.

"Right here," Quinn said confidently as she tugged down on Santana's shorts, "I've wanted to go down on you on this island since the morning after 'Blackout Friday.'"

"Seriously? Mmm..." Santana questioned and moaned as Quinn kissed up her thighs, "What's taken you so long?"

"This was the first time the moment was right," Quinn said flicking her eyes up to meet with Santana's. She maintained eye contact as she sucked on the most sensitive skin on Santana's thigh. Their eyes stayed locked as Quinn moved higher and Santana leaned back.

"Oh fuck!" Santana breathed as Quinn's tongue found her clit, "this is so hot... and unsanitary."

"We have Lysol," Quinn said looking up at Santana quickly then brought her eyes back down.

"Mhm..." Santana hummed and let her head fall back as Quinn's pointed tongue worked patterns over her clit. She lifted her head back up and looked down her body as Quinn's hand inched its way up her torso and palmed her breast over her tank top. As Quinn pinched at an already hardened nipple, she licked her way down and with her free hand lifted Santana's leg up so her foot was on the counter. "Oh my god," Santana practically yelled and sat up, yanking her tank top off and tossing it who knows where and who knows why. All she knew right now was that Quinn's tongue was inside of her and it was amazing.

Then, Quinn's tongue made it's way back up and Santana's fingers found their way into Quinn's hair. One pale arm wrapped itself around a tan thigh while the other drifted back down over Santana's abs, then her other thigh to her own chin.

"¡Sí, querida, por favor!" Santana requested and urged Quinn on with the fingers she had in her hair. She gasped as Quinn entered her. One of her hands left Quinn's hair and grasped the edge of the island as she felt Quinn's fingers curl inside of her, finding that spot that would surely start untying the knot that had been building in her stomach. Her breath hitched and she smacked the counter when she felt the sharp pleasure of her clit being sucked between Quinn's lips.

"¡Ay dios mio! I... Quinn!" she gasped out when the owner of the name's combination of suction, circles, and perfectly directed thrusting fingers ripped apart that knot in her stomach and sent the shards flying throughout her body. She felt Quinn laugh against her as she continued her motions at the same pace that had brought her to her orgasm and finding it to be _way_ too much, Santana had to push herself back on the island away from Quinn.

"Good apology?" Quinn asked as she backed into the counter opposite the island. She turned slightly and grabbed a paper towel.

"You are sooo forgiven," Santana panted and slid off of the island, landing on slightly shaky legs, "Gimme a second and I am going to apologize to you _all_ over the living room."

* * *

**A/N: This is my face right now :D. Sort of. Hope you enjoyed "the talk." I'm working feverishly on this to get updates out faster so you can see what happens next. Until then, let me know what you thought!**


	7. We're In New York City, Quinn

September 2015, New York City  
The Corner of Terrified and Central Park West

'Just walk in,' Quinn thought to herself as she stood in front of the entrance to the building her internship resided in. Instead of following her own directions, her body stayed exactly where it was and her eyes just stared at the lettering on the door. She wasn't sure why she was so nervous. The last time she found herself here, she walked right in. She had purpose in her steps on that day, but today she felt like absolute chicken shit.

"_Hi. I have an interview with Ilona Coppenger," Quinn said confidently to the woman at the desk in the lobby._

"_Fifth floor. Check in with her assistant," the receptionist said, barely looking up from her computer screen and pointing behind her to the elevators._

"_Thank you," Quinn responded, still smiling. After adjusting her messenger bag, she headed in the direction that was pointed out to her and pressed the up button when she got there. The doors slid open almost instantly and she stepped inside, pressing the button marked with a '5' as she settled into a spot along the wall. Here, in the presence of only herself, Quinn began to feel her nerves for the first time. Her confidence didn't falter however and she convinced herself that she could definitely woo her way into this internship._

"_Hi," she said as she approached the desk located ten feet away from the elevator, "I'm looking for Ilona Coppenger's assistant."_

"_That would be me," an obviously gay man in his mid-twenties answered. "How can I help you?" he asked with a flip of his bleach striped bangs._

_For a brief moment, Quinn had flashes of scenes from _The Devil Wears Prada_ and imagined that Ilona Coppenger was a first class bitch like Meryl Streep in said movie. As the scenes flashed through her brain she slowly uttered her reason for standing in front of the assistant that was causing her lapse in confidence, "I have an interview... for the internship..."_

"_Oh!" the assistant barked out in an unimaginable octave, "Quinn Fabray?"_

"_That would be me," she answered with a nervous half smile._

"_You're the first one to show up early," he said rolling his eyes, "Like, who shows up _on time_ to an interview? Umm... dummies that don't want jobs. Like, hello? Anyways, she's running a little late, which is actually good for you. Her bad interviews run long and her good ones are like five minutes. So, just sit down over there and she'll call you over when she's ready."_

"_Thank you," she replied but was really thinking to herself, __'_oh great, more time with my brain and the _Devil Wears Prada_ montage reeling through it.' _ She smiled through her thoughts and headed over to the chairs diagonally across from the assistant's desk._

_After sitting for a good ten minutes, a door opened and seconds later, a discouraged looking college student walked past Quinn, then the assistant and pressed the button on the elevator. She didn't look at either Quinn or the assistant on her way and as she waited for the elevator to arrive, she looked straight ahead at the wall in front of her. Quinn snapped her head away from her competition as soon as she heard the beep of the assistant's phone._

"_Your 11:30 is here... I know, right... okay... with balsamic?... ooo splurging today... see you in a minute."_

_Just as the assistant hung up the phone, Quinn's phone let her know she had a text message (and that she needed to turn the volume off)._

_**From S:  
**__Bueno suerte, mi bella! Even though you don't need it ;) I love you! Can't wait to see you!_

_A simple text message was all she needed for her stomach to leave her throat. Santana had perfect timing. Probably because she _was_ perfect._

"_From someone special?" an unfamiliar voice asked from above Quinn._

"_Uhhh... I'm sorry... I was just umm... putting it on silent," Quinn stuttered as she slid the silent switch down, pressed the sleep button and slid her phone into a pocket in her bag. She stood up quickly and smoothed out the front of her dress. After finding herself satisfied with the dress's appearance, she finally looked up and held out her hand, "Hi, I'm Quinn Fabray."_

_The woman standing in front of her took Quinn's hand and looked directly into her eyes through her red-rimmed glasses, "It's a pleasure, Quinn. Ilona Coppenger, Editor-in-Chief. You know, it's okay that you were reading a text message while you were waiting. It's not like you were reading it while I was interviewing you." She let go of Quinn's hand and indicated towards the door that not even five minutes before, a very disappointed girl had just walked out._

"_I would never do that. That's obnoxious," Quinn responded with an inflection that indicated exactly how obnoxious she thought it was._

"_You'd be surprised how many people your age don't think that way," Ilona said as she closed the door._

_Quinn got about three steps in before she stopped dead in her tracks in awe of the office she was standing in. Her eyes didn't know what to look at. The office was so large and spacious that Quinn couldn't even look at everything all at once. In the middle was a gigantic curved, glass desk with one of the biggest iMacs she had ever seen. To the left were filled-to-capacity book shelves that went from the floor to the ceiling. On the right wall, frames took up nearly every open space. A couple of the frames held degrees, some held what seemed to be letters and others displayed what looked like New York Times Best Seller listings. Underneath all the frames were hip level filing cabinets that had even more frames on top of them. These held actual pictures. From where she was standing she could see that some of them had the controlled mess of curls of her potential boss in them, but others did not. _

_The most impressive and magnificent element to this office was the back wall. From left to right it was entirely made of window and looked directly into Central Park._

'_Wow,' Quinn thought. Or maybe she said it out loud... she wasn't sure._

"_You haven't been in the city very long have you?" Ilona asked Quinn as she passed her to get her desk._

"_A year," Quinn answered, snapping out of her daze and closing her mouth. She took a few more steps forward._

"_I can tell. Please, sit down," the Editor-in-Chief said indicating a chair in front of her desk._

_As she walked towards the chair, Quinn removed her messenger bag and put it on the floor behind it. Before sitting down, she smoothed out the front of dress yet again._

"_I like your dress. It's simple, but not too simple for an interview," Ms. Coppenger said with a little laugh and then turned to her computer screen._

"_That's exactly what my girlfriend said this morning..." Quinn trailed off her response, a wave of thoughts hitting her. They varied from, 'I can't believe I just said that,' to, 'maybe she thinks I mean friend girlfriend and not girlfriend girlfriend,' to, 'I just killed this interview.' One after the other, they entered her brain and made her feel worse and worse about the off-the-cuff sentence that never should have left her mouth._

"_Hmm..." Ms. Coppenger slid her glasses down her nose slightly and looked over them at Quinn, "Would this be the girlfriend that sent you that message?"_

"_Umm..." Quinn hummed out as new thoughts plagued her head, 'this is the weirdest interview, ever.'_

"_I'm sorry! That has nothing to do with why you're here," she said looking back at the computer screen, "Only a year, huh? You spent your first two years of school at Northwestern, I see and before that... Lima, Ohio? You're from the middle of nowhere?"_

"_Pretty much," Quinn answered._

"_Now _that_ I wouldn't have guessed," the Editor-in-Chief replied, putting her elbows on her desk and her chin in her palms, "I like you."_

"_I... ummm..."_

"_I'm a good judge of character," she said leaning back in her oversized desk chair, "The internship starts on the ninth. Congratulations."_

"_Wait... really?" Quinn asked, shocked._

"_Yes, really," Ilona answered, "you're qualified and you're interesting. Truth be told, I decided you had the internship before you walked into my office. Your comment about your girlfriend sealed it though. Up until that point, you were pretty confident," she quirked her eyebrow and leaned forward, "We're in New York City, Quinn."_

_Quinn breathed out a laugh and shook her head a little, "Thank you."_

"_You are very welcome," Ms. Coppenger said standing up and extending her hand over her desk towards Quinn._

_Quinn immediately followed suit and took Ilona's hand. She smiled as big as she could and said, "Thank you, so much."_

"_See you in a couple of weeks, Quinn."_

"_I can't wait," Quinn said through her still gigantic smile. She turned around, grabbed her messenger bag and started for the door. When she got to the door, she turned back and looked at her new boss, "Bye, Ms. Coppenger."_

"_None of that. Ilona."_

When she finally worked up the courage to walk into the building, the woman that barely gave her the time of day the last time she was here told her to go right up to Ms. Coppenger's office. She didn't even have to wait this time around. The instant the elevator door opened, Ms. Coppenger's _loud _assistant said, "She's ready for you, just knock."

Quinn had no idea as to why she was ordered up to her boss's office on the first day of her internship. 'I haven't even started yet and something is already wrong!' she thought as she walked down the hall towards the office. Before she knew it, Quinn found herself knocking on her new boss's door, the sound of her own knuckles rapping on the thick cherry door snapping her out of her worrisome haze.

"Come in!" Quinn heard the airy voice of Ilona Coppenger, Editor-in-Chief ring through the thick door under her hand.

'Oh god,' Quinn thought as her hand slid down the door to the handle. Eyes closed, she pushed the handle down and then the door forward into the office. She would have kept them closed as she stepped into the office if she hadn't told herself how absolutely ridiculous she would have looked if she didn't open her eyes and look at her boss when she greeted her. Which then reminded her, "Good morning, Ms. Coppenger."

"I know I told you to call me Ilona and why do you look more terrified now than you did when you didn't have this internship yet?"

"Because I'm supposed to be on the editing floor...?" Quinn answered hesitantly and with an unsure, nervous grin.

"Oh god, no. I like you too much to put you through that everyday! Sit down, please, you're making me nervous!" Ilona said with a slight chuckle.

"I'm confused," Quinn said honestly as she walked towards an empty seat across from her boss.

"Stop doing that!"

"Stop doing what?"

"Being confused... and nervous! I just told you I like you. Now take your bag off and sit back in the seat like a normal person would while she's having a regular conversation," Ilona huffed, shaking her head. Quinn followed the orders, placing her trusty messenger on the empty seat next to her and her back into the chair's cushion. While sitting back helped Quinn become significantly less nervous, her confusion remained in both her head and on her face. "You're still wondering why you're here and not downstairs?" Ilona asked rolling her eyes slightly.

"Guilty," Quinn answered through an actual smile.

"I just want to talk," Ilona shrugged.

"Okay...? Umm... what do you want to talk about?" Quinn asked and then instantly wondered if there was ever a time in her life when she'd been more awkward than she was in this moment.

"You," the editor-in-chief answered plainly.

Taken aback, Quinn quickly answered, "I can assure you Ms. Copp- Ilona, that I am completely uninteresting."

"I beg to differ. No one who moves to this city from somewhere else is uninteresting."

At this moment in her life, Quinn wished that she had the quick wit that Santana had. She wished that she could just think of something that would make Ilona laugh and end the awkwardness that she was feeling. There wouldn't be a silence that was becoming worse and worse with every second that it hung in air.

"I hate Mondays," Ilona's voice broke through the quiet with a huge emphasis on the word 'hate.'

"Okay..."

"And I'm sick and tired of reading all the bull shit manuscripts that keep finding their way into those cabinets over there," she sighed throwing her thumb to her right towards the wall with all her diplomas and pictures.

"I'm sorry... I really don't think I'm following you..." Quinn said slowly, that nervous grin appearing on her face again.

"I want to hear the Quinn Fabray story, in full, no holds barred detail," Ilona said placing her elbows on her desk and her chin into her palms.

After a gulp, Quinn choked out, "There must be some bull shit in those cabinets that's much more interesting than me."

"You know," Quinn's boss said as she removed her red framed glasses and sat back in her chair, "I have pretty good instincts. They have been screaming that you have a great story to tell since I saw you fumbling with your phone outside of my office."

"I..."

"So, every Monday you're going to come straight up to my office and talk to me. Wednesdays you can work on the editing floor with your boring peers. I promise I'm not going to force you tell me something every Monday, that would be rude, but be aware that I am an unbiased ear. I am genuinely interested in your story. I might even talk about myself every once in a while. It's always nice to have someone that doesn't know you very well to listen to all of your shit," Ilona through a smile.

"Okay," Quinn answered without really thinking about it. She actually figured if she spent too much time thinking about it, she'd talk herself out of it and she'd lose the opportunity at creating an extremely profitable relationship with the editor-in-chief at a substantial book publishing company. For once, she thought quickly enough and her mouth followed her brain's queues with enough speed.

"Excellent! I want to hear everything! Don't hold back! From the beginning!" Ms. Coppenger said in a strange and clearly phony British dialect.

"Which one?" Quinn asked. She was being completely serious and only slightly trying to make herself seem more interesting than she believed she was.

"You see? Asking that question is telling me that my instincts are right! Whichever beginning you have determined to have brought you to where you are in your life right now," Ilona said with her eyes honing in Quinn.

Quinn took a moment and thought about her life today: it was everything she ever wanted, even if she didn't always know she'd wanted it. Then she delved backwards, rocketing out of New York, past Europe, through Northwestern, and back into Lima where Lucy died and Quinn was born. That was it. She even knew the exact moment. Her life changed all at once and she didn't even know it, until right now. All in one instant, she changed her name and introduced herself to the love of her life.

"My real first name is Lucy, but no one has seriously called me that since February 16th, 2009. I wouldn't have thought so a little over a year ago, but that was the day my life as I know it began..."

"This is already better than I'd expected."

* * *

**A/N: As always I love to hear from you guys!**


	8. Guaranteed

September 2015, New York City  
An Annoying Tourist Filled Line

"How do you always get me to stand in this line with you?"

"Because you love me and banana pudding," Rachel answered Santana as they rounded the corner getting closer to the entrance to the bakery, "and you want to talk about something. I can always get you to come here when you want to talk about something."

"Oh, shut up! You want to talk about something, too," Santana said with light smack to Rachel's shoulder, "And if I'm not mistaken, the decision you have to make is a lot bigger than mine."

"Abingdon Square," Rachel stated simply as they approached the happy bakery worker keeping track of the number of customers in the bakery.

"Yes, our reality television confessional," Santana rolled her eyes and then watched as two girls walked out of the bakery and then the guy in front of her and Rachel waved them in.

"_So, how's my girl Q?" Sonny asked as he sat back in the large comfy chair he was situated in. For some reason, completely unbeknownst to Santana, he'd called this mid-morning meeting of the DJs at everyone's favorite dimly lit coffee house in Union Square._

"_Great!" Santana answered as Seth, her friend and Kurt's boyfriend placed her iced mocha latte on the table in front of her, "Thanks, Seth."_

"_Anytime," Seth answered and returned to the front of the café._

"_Quinn's actually at an interview for like, the internship of her dreams right now. Which reminds me: I want to send her a good luck text really quick before it's too late," Santana said as she yanked her phone out of her pocket and began tapping away at the screen._

"_You two are so cute, it's disgusting. I'm like, vomiting everywhere."_

"_Oh shut up! There have been plenty of times I've been in the presence of you and Gary and felt everything I'd consumed that day coming back to haunt me. Speaking of, how is he? I feel like I haven't seen him in weeks." She watched as Sonny's expression changed from amused to something completely different. It was caught somewhere between worried, sad and sick. Santana was sure that her faced matched his as she thought about what could have possibly happened between him and Gary. Wouldn't Facebook have told her that Sonny was suddenly single?_

"_Gary's in California..."_

"_What? Why?"_

"_He got a job in LA and umm..."_

"_And umm...?" _'I'm following him,'_ she finished his sentence in her head._

"_I got a really great offer for like _the_ biggest club out there..."_

"_That's awesome..." Santana replied half-heartedly. She was happy for him, but she couldn't help but be a little selfish. Her mentor and one of her best friends just told her that he's moving all the way across the country. "When are you leaving?" she asked as she imagined DJ Slo-Pez disappearing._

"_The middle of October," Sonny said just before taking a probably much needed sip of his latte._

"_So," Santana began trying not to sound as nasty as she wanted to, "when's the last time Slo-Pez gets to spin?"_

"_Perhaps never," Sonny answered with a smile._

"_What? I can't guest DJ for ghost B-Rok!"_

"_Santana, that doesn't even make sense-"_

"_Then what the fuck are you talking about?" Santana practically yelled, letting out the frustration that had been building since Sonny let the news he was moving to LA crash onto her, "First you tell me you're leaving and then you talk to me in riddles like the fucking Sphinx or something!"_

"_You don't have to guest DJ for anyone-"_

"_You aren't making me feel better, Sonny!"_

"_I want you to take over!" Santana's mouth popped open in utter disbelief of the words that had just crossed through her ears and into her brain. Before she could begin to process it, Sonny restarted, "I know you're starting your senior year soon and you're probably looking into going to grad school or something-"_

"_Law school," Santana interrupted._

"_Of course," Sonny smiled, "that's why I told the boss I can only find a replacement for Fridays."_

"_And this would start...?"_

"_As soon as my plane for LA takes off."_

"_I don't know if I can-"_

"_You don't need to answer right now. I told Dubs I'd have a definite replacement by the thirtieth-"_

"_Of September?"_

"_I told you I'm moving in the middle of October, right?"_

_Santana nodded and attempted to think about the opportunity sitting in front of her. She couldn't. Her brain, which usually thought really quickly, couldn't come up with a damn thing. Instead she just sat there staring at Sonny._

"_Please, Santana, seriously think about this..."_

"So Sonny's just packing up and moving across the country?" Rachel's voice pierced into Santana's thoughts.

"Yup," she answered half dazed.

"And he wants you to take over Friday nights?"

"Uh huh."

"For money?"

"Three grand," Santana answered staring ahead of her at the Doughboy Statue she'd stared at many a time before.

"What? That's. Absolutely. Insane. How much money does that place rake in?"

"A lot," Santana answered, "And B-Rok's floor is the biggest and makes the most, that's why they'll shell out so much for me to be there for six hours."

"Why are you even thinking about this? A guaranteed three grand a week? Santana, you could pay for law school with that!" Rachel said with a crazy, excited look in her eyes.

"I know. I've done the math, Rach," Santana said, finally pulling her gaze away from the Doughboy Statue, "I've done the math for all of the time, too. I really don't think there are enough hours in the week for me to get the million things I have now to get done, never mind throwing in brand new sets every single week. That's the other reason why it's three thousand dollars. It's a lot of fucking work. I still have classes and the bar and the LSAT and my friends and Q..." Santana's run-on sentence trailed off as her level of stress about things that were already upon her rose.

"I'm sure your aunt will let you cut down on your hours at the bar," Rachel responded with her stop bull shitting tone.

Santana rolled her eyes and mumbled, "Actually, she already said I could stop working there altogether..."

"Then what's the problem? What did Quinn say?" Rachel fired the questions back-to-back leaving Santana with no ability to answer the first one. All she could do was put her "this is awkward" smile on in response to pregunta número dos. "You haven't told Quinn?"

Santana simply shook her head and deepened the "this is awkward" smile.

"I _cannot_ believe you!"

"She has enough of her own shit to deal wi-"

"That she tells you about! You are unbelievab-

"I'm unbelievable? At least I still have two weeks to make my decision! You have four days to decide if your dropping out of your dream school!"

Santana watched as Rachel slumped into the back of the bench and shoved a giant spoonful of banana pudding into her mouth. With her mouth still full, Rachel spit out, "I don't know what to do!"

"Well, I'm thinking first you should swallow and then we'll work on the bigger issues," Santana smiled and took the white cup from Rachel's hand, setting it down in between them. After she was sure Rachel had escaped the danger of choking, Santana asked the first question she could think of, "What have your dads said?"

"They said that they think I should follow my heart and whatever I decide they know it will be the right decision... blah blah blah... no matter what I'll always be their little girl," Rachel said as if she were reciting something she'd heard her fathers say a million times before, which, she probably had.

"So no help on the parent front," Santana rolled her eyes. As they settled briefly on the cup of pale, yellow goop in between them, a fresh question popped into her head.

"How about Kurt? I mean, he's all out there mysteriously following his crazy fashion dreams, what did he have to offer?"

"He thinks I should just do it, but he got to finish school! The Fashion Institute is only two years! His experience is so much different than mine!" Rachel huffed and looked back at the pudding on the bench.

Sliding said pudding a little closer to herself, Santana asked the next helpful question she could think of, "Did you talk to your advisor? I mean, someone in that place _has_ to have had to make a similar decision at some point. Maybe there's some way that you can like, do both? Or maybe take a semester off?"

"I can't do both and I can't take a semester off. It's a conservatory so it goes by years, not half years. We _have _to do performance projects our last two years. All year. This show is eight performances a week and the only day that I would definitely have off is Monday. I _cannot_ do both," Rachel said, getting more and more forceful as she explained deeper into why she actually had to make this decision.

"Okay... I'm sorry..."

"It's okay... I didn't really explain it before..."

They left it there. Silence plagued their attempt at helping each other make the life altering decisions they had before them. Rachel went back to the banana pudding and Santana settled her gaze on the street outside of the park. She watched as cars and people passed by iron fencing until her eyes finally focused on the black bars so that everything behind them were just blurs of color shifting around. She thought she heard a sniffle come from next to her but her thoughts were so loud she couldn't be sure. They bounced between her own problem and Rachel's until she finally came to the realization that neither one of them could leave the park until they'd made definite decisions.

"We're hopeless, aren't we?" Rachel sniffled for sure and put down the half eaten pint of pudding.

"Oh no, don't do that. None of that 'woe is us' bull shit. We're going to make decisions and they're going to be the right decisions, you know why?" Santana asked not entirely sure of the answer herself quite, yet.

"No, I don't. Please enlighten me, oh wise one," Rachel snarked out.

"Because..." Santana attempted with way too much emphasis on the second half of the word. Rachel's head jerked forward slightly in anticipation of Santana's answer, "Because... because they're both right!"

It made perfect sense. That was exactly why these decisions were so difficult. It was also so simple that she couldn't believe she hadn't thought of it before.

"What?" Rachel said, her incredulousness shining bright.

"Just hear me out, Rach."

"Do I have a choice?"

"I'm going to pretend you just said, 'of course I will, Santana, it's not like I've thought of anything that's going to get us out of our own way, yet' and continue," she paused to watch Rachel roll her eyes and then she continued, "Okay, so with you, you're decision is to either stay at Juilliard for your last year or accept the offer to be in your Broadway debut..."

"I am one hundred percent aware of what my options are Santana."

Letting that slide, Santana continued, "No matter what, you're going to feel bad about what you've given up, the key is knowing that the decision you made was the correct one... no matter what."

"Okay, what about you? I know that you're giving up three thousand dollars a week if you say no, but what are you giving up if you take the job?" Rachel asked as she replaced the cover on her pudding.

"Free time. Not that I had that much before, but I'm positive that it'll be even slimmer," Santana said without letting her body cringe like it wanted to. As if less free time was something she wanted... but $3000 a week was.

"So what are you suggesting? A pros and cons list?" Rachel shrugged.

"Actually, I hadn't even thought of that. Let's do it. Let's like, go back and forth listing them all off. You do pros for Broadway debut and I'll do pros for taking the job. Keep count. Go."

"It's Broadway," Rachel said in a 'duh' tone and began counting with her fingers.

"$3000 a week."

"Equity," Rachel said with dreamy eyes.

After giving a 'what the fuck?' look, Santana sighs, "An income if Law School falls through."

After giving her own, 'what the fuck?' look, Rachel adds, "It's a giant leap in the door."

"I get to quit the bar," Santana laughs, thinking about how great it would be to not have to do bitch work anymore.

"Wait. I can't do this anymore... I only have one con," Rachel said stopping Santana's laughter, "But it's big."

"What is it? Because I'm letting you know right now that I've made my decision," Santana smiled.

"What? Don't you have any cons?" Rachel asked, shocked.

"Just one, but I think I know a way around it... a little, but you go first. Please," Santana insisted and turned her body around on the bench so that she was facing Rachel more.

"It isn't guaranteed," Rachel let out after deep breath, "I know that the show did really well off-Broadway, but it doesn't mean it's going to do well _on_ Broadway."

"When you found out that it was moving to Broadway, did you not say that it doesn't usually happen like that. Didn't you say that usually off-Broadway shows stay just that? It must be really good if the producers got it moved up. Rach, _I_ liked it and I don't like anything," Santana added the last part despite knowing that her opinion of the show didn't matter at all when it came to its success.

"I guess. And even if doesn't do well, I'll still have my Equity card so I'll be able to get better auditions... and health insurance," Rachel said as her passion for her dream came back to her.

"That's the spirit!"

"What's _your_ solution?"

Santana smiled her devious smirk and answered, "Guilt-tripping Sonny into 'lending' me some of his tracks. He did pretty much drop this on me like a grenade and it's not like I have a little apprentice to cover for me an hour a show and whenever I want a night off."

"_That_ is dirty. But I completely accept it. Mostly because it's totally High School You and sometimes, I like it when she shows up," Rachel laughed and pulled her legs up onto the bench to sit cross-legged.

"I can't say no to this, Rach, just like you can't say no to what you've been dreaming about your whole life," Santana shrugged her left shoulder and slightly shook her head.

"I know. That's why we aren't saying no and making the right decision."

"Exactly."

"Well, we should probably leave now. We've been here for like an hour and half and now I have to call my dads and tell them that all the money they spent on school isn't resulting in a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Drama," Rachel said as she gatherer up all of her things and stood up.

"And I should probably call my Tia and tell her that I'm quitting the bar," Santana said following Rachel off the bench.

"You're also going to tell Quinn, right?" Rachel asked... told Santana.

"Right."

* * *

**A/N: I think this is quickest I've updated since I started posting this thing! Woo! I was definitely glad to hear that a lot of you didn't see the last chapter coming... I'm thinking this one was a little similar? I do hope that you all enjoyed this! Of course I want to hear from you!**


	9. Roommate

October 2015, New York City  
The TriBeCa Apartment

"Oh my god! Q! Come listen to this mix Sonny just sent me!" Quinn heard Santana yell from the living as she attempted to write a mid-term paper in their bedroom.

It was Sunday morning, which meant it was mash-up time for Santana. In a few hours, it will be LSAT time and Quinn will be able to do her homework on the other side of the bedroom door because it will be quiet there again.

"Not now, Babe, I'm on a roll here," Quinn lied only slightly. She really just didn't want to leave the room, if she did, she might not come back.

"Come on, please?" Santana whined through the door from where Quinn guessed to be the kitchen this time.

"Email it to me! I promise I'll listen to it," Quinn yelled as she pressed her palms into her eye lids. Usually, papers were easy for her, but today was just not her day. Santana's insistence that she listen to a mash-up that wasn't even hers, was not assisting in her dilemma either.

"YES!" Santana cheered from the kitchen and within seconds the stamp in her dock had a new number in its corner.

'Perhaps a distraction wouldn't be so bad,' Quinn thought as she stared at her email icon, 'I'll just put my head phones in so she doesn't know I gave in that quick...' She bent down and dug her head phones out of her messenger bag and then clicked on the mail icon. 'I should probably go through some of these,' she thought as she looked at all of the blue dots telling her that she hadn't read any of the emails in front of her. Starting from the least recent, she scanned through her emails, skimming ones that seemed important and deleting all the ones that weren't. There were definitely way more emails of the deleting variety than the latter, which made Quinn happy. So there she was, happily deleting emails, until she got to one that made her blink her eyes, hard: an email from one Mister Russell Fabray, simply titled November.

"Fuck," Quinn breathed out as her fingers moved slowly from the delete key to the track pad. After a few more seconds she finally made the window holding the contents of the email bigger.

**Hey Sweetie,**

Quinn gagged at the thought of hearing that actually come out of her father's mouth.

**I'm emailing because your mother told me to instead of calling. She said that you respond to these quicker. **

"Yeah, hers," she mumbled.

**Anyways, I have some business to do in NYC the second week in November. Your mother and I are going to come into the city together the weekend before to spend some time with you.**

"I will vomit everywhere if they're back together," Quinn said to the computer screen in front of her.

**We aren't back together...**

"Thank god!"

**... but we decided it would be good for both of us to come and visit you for the first time since you moved. I also want to make sure that my $1500 a month is going to a decent apartment and not some dump.**

**Alright, see you on the 7th!**

**Love, **

**Daddy**

"Fuck! Fuck! Fuckity-fucking-FUCK!" Quinn's voice got louder with every version of the obscenity.

The door slowly opened into the room and Santana poked her head in, "Ummm... Q? Is everything okay?"

By now, Quinn was rubbing her temples and staring straight ahead at the email in front of her.

"I'm going to take that as a 'no,'" Santana said slowly as she entered the room. She kept her distance, deciding to sit on the bed instead of leaning over Quinn's shoulder which Quinn didn't enjoy even when she was in a good mood.

Quinn's hands moved down to cover her face completely and to answer Santana's question, "They're coming!"

"Who's coming?" Quinn heard Santana shift forward on the bed and then felt her hand on her shoulder.

Quinn dropped her hands from her face and whipped around in the desk chair, "My parents!"

"Both of them?"

"Yup."

"Together?" Santana questioned.

"Not _together_ together, but yes, together," Quinn said as she rubbed her eye with her fingertips and then directed them back up to her temple.

"Oh shit."

"And they'll definitely be making a stop here," Quinn added.

"Oh. Shit."

"Yup, the man who refused to go to Burt Hummel's shop because of his gay son and who made it quite clear how he felt about the Berry's and the sin child they raised, is going to be here, in this apartment, where his daughter shares a bed with her 'roommate' every night," Quinn said, the air quotes she threw around 'roommate' causing Santana to chuckle a little, "this isn't funny!"

Choking back her lapse in seriousness, Santana jumped in, "I know. I'm sorry."

"I just..." she got up and started pacing in the open space between the closet and the bed, "I just don't know what to do! It's bad enough that they're coming to the city, but here? Why does my father think that he needs to pretend to care? Actually, I don't think he even does care, he just wants to know that he's not wasting his money! And it's like the worst time because you have the LSAT the next weekend so you're going to have to be studying all weekend so I'm going to have to deal with them all by myself..."

"No you won't," Santana interrupted and stepped into Quinn's pacing, "I don't need to study _all_ weekend. I can't study all weekend, it's too painful. I hate studying, you know that." Santana's hands cupped Quinn's face and she leaned in, kissing her lips, "And for our other problem: I have an idea."

"Oh great," Quinn said hopelessly.

"It's perfect and so simple, you're gonna to wonder why you didn't think of it," Santana said holding onto Quinn's hands.

"If you say so..."

...}{...

November 2015, New York City  
Same Apartment, Two Weeks Later

"My mom just texted me, they'll be here in fifteen minutes," Quinn announced as she rushed to put the finishing touches on her "bedroom." In just a couple of hours she and Santana had transformed the guest bedroom in their apartment to one that actually looked like Quinn had been living in for the last three months. Since the room was already furnished, all they really had to do was find things that were, well, Quinn.

All week they went looking for stuff. Quinn found some Andy Warhol prints and Santana found a wall decal of the Tower Bridge in London. Kurt and Rachel even got in on the search and brought over some things they thought would be helpful. Rachel brought a picture of Times Square from her own room and a poster from her own show. Kurt, back briefly from his mystery fashion tour, brought over a collage of all the men he found attractive saying, "If you're trying to fool them, you have to go all out."

Although she didn't really want to, she put Kurt's homage to males up on the wall. To his credit, however, he also made a collage of all of his heroines, many of which also happened to be Quinn's. Rachel's contributions went up as well, but the wall decal that Santana found was definitely her favorite.

"I thought of you the instant I saw this," Santana said as she smoothed out the last of the bubbles.

"It's so great! Maybe we could move it into our room when this all done with...?" Quinn asked knowing it was a long shot.

"Maybe..." Santana said with a smile and a wink. The girls exchanged their silent 'I love you' looks and were just about kiss when the buzzer stopped them both from following through. "They aren't even in the door yet and your parents are cock blocking me!" Santana sighed and plopped down on the bed.

Quinn leaned down and placed a quick kiss on Santana's lips, "You are the best girlfriend on this entire planet! Now get out of my room and do something that makes you look like a good influence."

Quinn turned around and started walking out of the room until she was stopped. "Your parents have no idea how good of an influence I am," Santana whispered into Quinn's ear and then smacked her ass, pushing her towards the door, "Go get 'em tiger!"

"I love you," Quinn whispered as her hand reached for the door knob.

"I love you, too. I'm gonna go study for that big test I have next weekend," Santana answered back and turned to go into the living room. Just as she passed it, the buzzer went off again.

"Tell them I'm coming!" Quinn shouted from the door which she had only managed to open and not walk through.

"She's on her way down," Quinn heard Santana say as she stepped out the door.

She could see her parents' legs through the window in the door as she stood at the top of the stairs, which meant that they could see hers and she had no choice but to go down to them now. As she stepped down the stairs she could see more and more of Russell and Judy Fabray. She made eye contact with her mother first, purposely. Out of the two of them, she was the one she disliked the least. Actually, Quinn was sure that she almost liked her mother. At least she genuinely apologized and didn't try to buy back her heart like her father was doing.

"Quinnie!" she heard instantly as she swung the door open.

"Hi Mom," Quinn said quietly and hugged her mother. Her eyes accidentally found her father's and before she could hear the disgusting greeting from the email she spat out, "Hi Dad!" and broke the hug with her mother to give him one.

"This area doesn't seem so bad," Russell expressed as they let go of each other, "and it looks pretty clean in there."

"The apartment is clean, too, Father," Quinn said with only a quarter of the disdain she felt for him.

"I'm sure it's perfect, Quinn," Judy said, shooting Russell a 'shut up' glare.

"It's right up these stairs," Quinn said gesturing and leading them up, "I think Santana is studying. She's taking the LSAT next weekend."

"Where does she want to go law school?" Judy asked as they got to the already open door.

"Columbia," Santana answered and entered the hall from the kitchen.

Quinn was really hoping her face didn't show how sexy she thought Santana's ambition was. Fooling them with the bedroom was going to be easy, it seemed more like trying not to be in love with each other in front of her parents was going to be the real challenge.

"I thought you were studying," Quinn said before her father could say something offensive to Santana.

"I was hungry so I started making some lunch," Santana answered with a smirk.

"It smells delicious!" Judy said as she wandered towards the smell, "what are you making?"

"Chicken stir fry. Do you want some? I made way too much for one person," Santana answered and made her way back into the kitchen.

"We were going to go out for lunch," Russell piped in as he looked around the hall.

"No, seriously, I insist. Save your money," Santana said briefly coming back into the hall.

"Well, when you put it that way..." Russell replied squinting his eyes a little.

"Come on Quinn, give your parents the grand tour," Santana said from the stove.

"Yes, please. The grand tour," Judy said clasping her hands together in front of her.

"I'm getting a little tired of this hallway..."

"Well, Daddy, if you'll just close the door behind you and then open the door to your left we can begin with my room," Quinn replied trying not to say it through grit teeth.

Quinn watched as her father's hand turned the door knob and pushed the door into her fake room. Her mother inched forward to see inside leaving Quinn behind to await their reactions. As they moved into the room, Quinn moved forward and leaned up against the door frame. She let a good twenty seconds pass before she was no longer able to wait for them to say something and asked, "So, what do you think?"

"It's darling, Quinn-"

"I guess $1500 doesn't get you that much in New York City," Russell huffed with crossed arms as his eyes wandered the walls of the room.

"We haven't seen the rest of the apartment, Russell," Quinn's mother surprisingly came to her rescue.

"Yeah, let's go see the rest," Quinn suggested. She turned around and walked over to 'Santana's room' which was a little bit bigger than the guest room. She could only imagine what her father was going to say about that, so she decided to barely point it out, "This is Santana's room and this is the full bathroom."

"The colors are great! Who picked them?"

"We both did," Quinn answered her mother.

"How much is her share of the rent?"

'Shit!'

"Seventeen hundred," the chef in the kitchen answered, coming to Quinn's rescue.

"Thirty-two hundred a month for this place?" Russell questioned harshly.

"That's actually a steal in TriBeCa," Quinn attempted to quell his frustration and moved forward hoping that both of her parents would follow her into the giant living room.

"The kitchen and living room better be enormous," her father chided as he thankfully followed her.

"See for yourself," Quinn suggested as she gestured forward towards the living room where a 57" flat screen, two full size sofas, a coffee table and three bookcases fit with room to spare.

"Wow," Judy said as she walked around looking in awe.

"The half bath is in the corner," Quinn pointed and then leaned up against the doorway into the kitchen to watch her mother and father look around.

"Okay, this almost makes up for the bedroom. Let's see the kitchen," Russell said with a phony smile. Quinn could tell he was just dying to find some else that wasn't up to his unreasonable standards.

"Perfect timing," Santana had snuck up next to Quinn in the doorway, causing her to jump a little and then shiver at her unexpected proximity. "Lunch is ready," Santana said and as she turned back into the kitchen she smirked at Quinn, leaving her with a sensation inappropriate for the moment at hand.

Following Santana into the kitchen, Quinn checked behind her quickly to see that her parents were taking their time in the living room. This gave her the opportunity to pass by Santana who had stopped at the stove and whisper, "You're so getting some tonight." She kept walking and grabbed some dishes from the cabinet. When she turned around to put them on the island she caught Santana's smirk, which caused the dishes to nearly slip out of her hands.

"Careful Quinn, I don't want to have replace those," Russell said in his condescending father voice. She couldn't even respond, Quinn simply balled her fists and turned to the drawer that housed the silverware.

"These look fancier than they are," Quinn's superhero girlfriend explained as she grabbed the plates to put stir fry on them.

"Still she should be more careful-"

"Russell she is nearly twenty-two years old, back off," Judy came in from the living room with her arms crossed and a stern look Quinn had never seen before, "Now sit down and enjoy this wonderful meal that Santana has cooked for us."

Both Quinn and Santana watched in awe as Russell did exactly as he was told in complete silence.

"Now Santana," Judy's voice snapped the girls out of their shock, "how did you learn to cook like this? It's incredible!"

"I... taught myself," Santana answered as she sat down and placed plates in front of herself and Quinn.

"Unbelievable! And you also go to NYU? I think Quinn mentioned Political Science?"

"She's the best in her class with a 3.9 GPA," Quinn answered for Santana and tried to sneak some "I love you" eyes her way.

"So Columbia is pretty much a sure thing?" Russell spoke for the first time since the smack down from Judy.

"I wouldn't say that-"

"Yes you could. You're going to do great on the LSAT and you're getting great recommendations," Quinn said clearly forgetting that on this day, Santana wasn't her super smart, ambitious and incredibly sexy girlfriend, she was her super smart, ambitious and "I guess she's attractive for a girl" roommate.

"Well, it sounds like you know what you're doing," Judy said after swallowing a mouth full of Santana's stir fry, "I hope that some of that ambition is rubbing off on Quinn."

If Quinn heard the opportunity for something, she knew Santana had heard it. All she could really do was hope that whatever she was going to say wasn't going to ruin the success that the afternoon had been thus far. She watched the smirk grow on Santana's face and as every nerve in Quinn's body anticipated what was going to come next, it started, "I'm sure it is Ms. Fabray, I'm sure it is."

"Please, call me Judy."

'Oh thank god,' Quinn thought to herself and breathed for the first time since Santana's smirk appeared on her lips.

"What's this rice stuff?" Russell asked with his mouth full of stir fry.

"Umm... quinoa," Santana answered.

"What the hell is quinoa?"

* * *

**A/N: You know what would be really cool? If you weren't expecting this to happen. That's what would be really cool. If you weren't expecting it, then I feel extremely successful. If you were, well that's okay, I guess. Let me know what you thought! Your opinions, whether positive or negative help me more than you know.**

**A/N 2: So there's this whole new image thing that you can add to stories so that they'll have a cover and I was just wondering if any of you, my fine readers would be interested in designing something for this little story here. Perhaps you might even want to take on my other stories as well? I have no artistic computer skills whatsoever so if there's someone out there that does and wants to help me out, I would love you forever... like even more than I already do.**

**A/N 3: Just a quick shout out to my "stage mom." She keeps telling me that I'm awesome in multiple ways, I don't know why, but she keeps doing it. I just want to say thanks because even though I don't always believe I'm as "boss" you say I am, it helps and pushes me to keep writing. So, thanks. Hearts and 3s.**


	10. You Never Know

November 2015, New York City  
Wherever Judy and Russell Fabray Aren't

Waking up in a strange place is quite disorienting. Santana rediscovered that feeling this morning the instant she realized the sun was hitting her face from a strange angle. She snapped up in the bed that smelled a little strange, whipping her head around. It took her a good twenty seconds to realize that she was in the guest room, remembering she and Quinn had redecorated it because Quinn's parents showed up for a visit.

"S, what's the matter?" a groggy blonde mumbled into her pillow.

"Nothing, I just..." she breathed out a little laugh and lowered herself back down, "... I just forgot that we slept in _your_ room."

"What?" the blonde hair flipped towards the wall and hazel eyes darted around the room, "Oh yeah."

"Jeez, a little celebratory wine and we just get the _best_ ideas, huh?" Santana laughed and tucked her hands under her head.

Quinn scooted over a little, slipping her hand into Santana's tank top and her head onto her chest, "And now we have to wash these sheets."

"We don't have to do it right now," Santana said as she brought her arm down to wrap it around Quinn and then kissed her head, "Besides, it's not like anyone's going to be sleeping in here anytime soon."

"You never know," Quinn's shoulder shrugged underneath Santana's arm.

Santana tilted her head down, looking beyond the blonde hair that was tickling her chest whenever she took a breath, to the arm that disappeared into her shirt. She couldn't see the hand that was trailing lazy patterns over her skin and leaving her with that fluttering in her stomach that she never wanted to disappear.

"I love you," she whispered, nuzzling her cheek into the head of hair resting on her chest.

"I love you," Quinn returned, leaving a kiss on Santana's chest and then lifting her head, "And you are so great."

"I was just doing my best to keep you here. I mean, who knows what Papa Fabray would have done if he found out where you really sleep," Santana answered honestly. She couldn't help but flash back briefly to her own parental altercation of nearly four years prior. The last thing she wanted was for Quinn to experience anything similar.

Quinn shifted her positioning a little and gently placed her lips onto Santana's. "I'm not going anywhere," she said softly as their lips parted and she rubbed her nose lightly against Santana's.

"Good," Santana said as she inched forward to kiss Quinn again, "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Well, you don't have to worry about that, this worked," Quinn gestured towards the rest of the room with her head and then brought it back down to Santana's chest.

They stayed lying there in silence for a while. Santana listened to Quinn's breathing as she thought about how perfect things were. She wished they could stay like this all day, but of course, life doesn't come with a pause function. It was only a matter of time before Quinn's phone started ringing and she'd have to get up to answer the call from her parents. With the LSAT less than a week away, she would have to eventually get herself out of bed anyways to do some more studying.

"Maybe they won't call," Quinn mumbled into Santana's chest.

"Get out of my head!" Santana said only a little freaked out by their synchronized thought.

"Maybe you should get out of my head!" Quinn answered back with a sly smile. She propped herself up a little onto her knee and slipped the other one in between Santana's legs.

Never missing an opportunity, "Maybe you should get out of this shirt," Santana replied through her smirk as she swiftly removed Quinn's tank top.

"You know, if you weren't so damn cute when you did stuff like that, I'd be really annoyed right now," Quinn said with a smile.

"Hey, it's hard work making shamelessness this adorable," Santana huffed as she propped herself up on her elbows.

"I know, baby," Quinn replied through fake condescension and pouted lips.

"Shut up," Santana whined sitting up underneath Quinn, forcing her to lean back and straighten out her back.

"Or what?" Quinn teased.

Santana wished she could come up with something clever, but all she could really think about was how much she wanted the nipples that were staring her right in the face in between her lips. Not one to deprive herself, Santana gave in and inched herself forward to suck one of Quinn's nipples into her mouth.

"How absolutely terrible," Quinn moaned as her fingers slid up into Santana's hair.

Santana smirked at Quinn's failed sarcasm and just for good measure, bit down on the sensitive bump between her lips. Not too hard, but enough to elicit a tiny whimper from Quinn's throat. As she kissed and sucked her way over to the neglected nipple, she felt Quinn's hand find her left and then direct it down to the waistband of her underwear.

"Impatient much?" Santana breathed into the skin under her mouth as her fingers maneuvered their way under the waistband anyways.

Just as Quinn opened her mouth to answer, Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy" began blaring from somewhere in the room.

"Your parents have the worst perfect timing on the planet," Santana groaned but continued to venture her fingers into Quinn's underwear.

Quinn moaned, but pushed herself away from Santana anyways.

"Come on, this is what voicemail is for," Santana groaned again and wrapped her arm around Quinn's waist to stop her.

"I have to," Quinn pulled away again, managing to get one of her legs off of the bed.

"Tell them you were in the shower," Santana pleaded as Quinn completely slipped from her grip onto the floor and dug her phone out of a pile of clothes.

"Hi, Mom," Quinn answered the call and a frustrated Santana flopped back down onto the bed. "Oh no, you didn't. I've actually been awake for a little while now. You just caught me, I was about to jump in the shower," she caught Santana's eye, quirked up her eyebrows and gestured towards the bathroom with her head.

"Yes!" Santana said a little too loudly as she jumped out of the bed and quickly made her way into their normal sleeping quarters. She turned back around and reentered the decoy room unsure of why she even left in the first place.

"That was just Santana celebrating over some LSAT thing," Quinn answered her mother with an eye roll directed at Santana.

"Sorry," Santana mouthed and sat back down on the bed.

"Of course he does... sure, we can definitely do that... yeah one is perfect... see you soon... I love you, too... bye."

"Let me guess," Santana began as she lowered herself onto to the floor to sit with Quinn, "your dad has some business to take care of... on a Sunday."

"Yup, which means we get a day with Judy, who loves you by the way. She liked you when we were in high school, despite your 'sins' but now she thinks you're just the best," Quinn snickered and poked Santana with her foot.

"Think she'll still love me if she ever finds out that I made you gay?" Santana joked and then got up off the floor.

"You didn't make me gay," Quinn scoffed as she took the hand Santana offered to help her up.

"I know, but I am going to make you do something in a minute..." Santana singsonged as she led a giggling Quinn into the bathroom.

...}{...

A Few Hours Later  
Rockefeller Center

"I cannot believe how big that tree is," Judy Fabray said gaping at the scaffolding clad Christmas tree directly in front of 30 Rock, "Television does it no justice."

"You should come back when it's all lit up and everything," Quinn suggested as she led them all to a bench, "without Father."

"Oh, trust me, this is the last time we do anything together. Even with separate rooms he's miserable," Judy said looking up and shaking her head, "But, enough about me, please."

"What do you want to know?" Quinn asked slowly as she brought a spoonful of frozen yogurt to her mouth. Santana almost couldn't hold back the laugh she felt approaching at how worried Quinn was. On the train ride to meet her mother, Quinn confessed that she was still a little nervous about her. She knew all along that her father would be easy to fool because he didn't notice things that weren't directly related to money or drinking. Her mother on the other hand, was a little more perceptive.

"Well, since you updated me on you last night at dinner, I was hoping to get to know your roommate a little more," Judy said turning to look past Quinn and over to Santana.

After recovering from accidentally missing her spoon and biting her lip, Santana answered, "What do you... umm... want to know Ms. F?"

"I haven't seen you since your graduation, tell me what you've been up to the last three years," Judy asked as she stirred her froyo.

"Umm... okay..." she hesitated, not knowing what she should or shouldn't say, then she remembered that Lima is a small town and everyone knew she was gay by the time she grabbed her diploma anyways. "Well," she started, "when I moved here in 2012, Brittany came with me."

"Cheerios Brittany?" Judy clarified.

"Cheerios Brittany," Santana assured.

"But she came back to Lima," Judy added to the story Santana wasn't getting a chance to tell.

"To finish at McKinley, yeah-"

"She broke your heart, didn't she?" Judy jumped in with that sad 'I feel so bad for you' tone.

Santana actually didn't know what to say.

"You knew about Santana and Brittany?" Quinn asked, clearly shocked by her mother's knowledge.

"Everyone knew about Santana and Brittany, honey," the older blonde answered shaking her head.

"You're right," Santana jumped back in, "she did break my heart and it took me a long time to get over it. I did though. Get over it. I found some new and some old friends and started DJing. Things just started to fall into place," Santana shrugged and briefly went back to her melting yogurt.

"Old friends?"

"Yeah, Kurt Hummel and Rachel Berry. We ran into each other in the Apple Store and we've been besties ever since," Santana laughed.

"And DJing?"

"Oh my god, Mom, she's amazing! So amazing that she gets paid to do it at this super popular club," Quinn answered for Santana.

"Congratulations," Judy said leaning forward to look at Santana.

"Thank you," Santana replied and felt her cheeks burn.

"I have to go to the bathroom," Quinn announced, placing her hands on both her mother's and Santana's laps, "I think there's one fairly close by."

"There isn't one in the Lego Store, so don't even bother," Santana rolled her eyes.

"No, I think if I go in the door over there, there's a bathroom downstairs," Quinn said pointing diagonally, "I'll be back soon. Try not to scare her, too much."

"We're fine!" Judy scoffed.

"I was talking to Santana," Quinn laughed. She grabbed all of the empty cups and started her quest for a bathroom.

"Very funny, Q!" Santana called out.

"So," Santana turned back from staring at the doorway Quinn had just disappeared into to the voice that wanted her attention, "how long did it take you and Quinn to set up that room?"

"Huh?" Santana eloquently responded, blatantly caught off guard by the question presented to her. She didn't know what to do. All she knew was that Quinn was right, her mother had great observation skills, "I don't think I know what you're talking about Ms. F."

With just one look from Judy Fabray, Santana knew exactly where Quinn got all of her ability to read people. Right then she knew there was no avoiding this.

Judy sighed and then replied, "I know that I haven't always been the best mother, I'm sure Quinn's made that clear, but I know my daughter and I know she doesn't live in that room... and I know that you two aren't just roommates."

Santana felt her chest get a little tight with anxiety and hoped as hard as she could that Quinn would come back. She gulped back as much of the lump in her throat as she could and choked out, "Why me? Why aren't you asking Quinn this?"

"I want her to come to me," Judy shrugged.

"But you're barraging _me_ with questions?" Santana asked, unsure of Judy's backwards methods.

"I don't know when it will happen!" Judy snapped back. "The last time she needed to tell Russell and me something of this magnitude, I failed her. She has every reason to be hesitant to tell me about this. I just..." she dabbed the inner corner of her eye with her index finger, "... I just want to know that she's happy. That's all I want for her."

"Even if that means she's in a relationship with me?" Santana asked quietly out of uncertainty of the answer she was going to receive.

"While I'll admit that it isn't what I always envisioned for her, if she feels that it's right, then it is," Judy admitted as she dabbed the corner of her eye again.

"I love her," Santana said impulsively. She wasn't sure why, but she felt an overwhelming need to convince Quinn's mother that this was fact.

"I know," Judy replied with a smile, "you don't have to convince me. You redecorated a room in your apartment, cooked for her parents and pretended _not_ to be love with her all because you wanted her to be able to stay."

"I _need_ her to be able to stay," Santana clarified, mostly to herself, but she knew Judy had heard her.

"If Quinn must be in a relationship with another woman, I'm happy that it's with someone who cares about her so much," Judy assured, "but, be aware that if you hurt her, you will suffer the wrath of Judy Fabray."

While Santana believed every threatening word, she wasn't worried, "Hurting your daughter is the furthest thing from my mind."

"Good."

"Actually, I want to marry her..."

"Oh, really?"

"Uuhh...I..." Santana stuttered as she tried to remember whether or not she said that last part out loud.

"Just make sure you send me a picture of the ring before you buy it," Judy said through a smile just as Quinn walked back out of the doors she left them through and began making her way back.

"Umm... sure..." Santana gulped out just as Quinn got into hearing distance.

"I knew I gave the wrong person a warning," Quinn said through a slight laugh as she sat back down between her mother and her girlfriend.

Knowing she was still sporting her 'I can't believe that just happened' look, Santana tried to quickly take any attention off of her, "Jeez, Q, did you detour to Alaska? I thought you said there was a bathroom right downstairs?"

"There is, but I guess they lock it on the weekends," Quinn shrugged, "I had to go all the way around near the Starbucks and then wait in line. What'd I miss? You didn't go too hard on her?"

"She didn't," Santana answered for Judy, "come on, it's getting chilly and I want your mom to experience the best banana pudding in New York City. Even if it means standing in an obnoxious line full of tourists."

"I can't wait," Judy said through a smile and when Quinn had turned away, she gave Santana a reassuring wink, "Lead the way ladies."

...}{...

Two Hours Later  
Safe, Behind Their Own Door

"That wasn't so bad," Quinn sighed as she plopped down on the couch with her lap top and her Complete Works of Shakespeare.

"Your Mom isn't as bad as you make her out to be," Santana said from the kitchen. She entered the living room as she quickly contemplated the most tactful way to say what she wanted to add, "you know, maybe she'd be cool with it if you, you know, said something about us to her."

"Yeah right," Quinn laughed, "She might be cool with you being into girls, but you aren't her daughter. It's instantly different when it's your own child."

Santana sat down on the coffee table in front of Quinn and put her hands on Quinn's knees. "But she seems so much different than when we were sixteen. Like, she has her own brain. I witnessed her stick up for you yesterday," Santana remembered the awkward, but awesome moment during lunch the day before.

"I'll... think about it," Quinn huffed as she flipped through the thin pages in the tome on her lap.

"I think you should," Santana dipped her head down, hoping that Quinn would look up. She smiled when she finally lifted her head and then laughed a little after Quinn rolled her eyes at her. Getting up from the coffee table, Santana suggested, "Study party?"

"Then a cuddle sesh?" Quinn pouted.

"Perfect," Santana answered and then turned to get her LSAT study things. As Santana dug through the mess that had somehow formed in twenty-four hours for her study guide book, the buzzer started going off. "Who the hell is that?" she yelled as she continued searching.

"I'll get it! You just keep doing whatever it is you're doing!" Quinn yelled out.

"Thanks, babe!" Santana leaned out into the hall for a second and briefly watched Quinn walk to the buzzer. She went back to her search the second she made eye contact with Quinn.

"Fabray-Lopez residence, how can I help you?" Santana heard Quinn say just as she found her study book on her desk chair. She stepped out of the room and when she caught sight of Quinn all she could think about was how great their names sounded hyphenated together.

"Oh my god! I didn't know _you_ were here, too, Quinn!"

Everything in Santana's body stopped. Her legs. Her arms. Her lungs. Her brain. Everything just stopped. She was only faintly aware that the book that was in her hands before the voice came through the buzzer was now on the floor.

There was no way that she really heard that. Maybe she was in some sort of coma and this was some crazy unconscious dream.

"Babe, are you okay?"

"Nope, not a dream," Santana mumbled as she felt Quinn's hand in hers.

* * *

**A/N: This chapter and the next two are pretty much my favorite. Just letting you know. Clearly, I'm not saying that you all have to agree with me, but I do hope that you enjoyed this at least. Of course I want to hear from you so don't hesitate to leave me a little comment with your thoughts. Love ya!**


	11. Side Effects

April 2012, Lima, Ohio  
The Fabray Residence

Sitting in her kitchen, Quinn sat with her body half turned, watching and listening to the clock tick away the seconds. She wasn't waiting for anything, she just didn't have anything better to do. Actually, she didn't really want anything better to do. It was 7:47 on a Friday night, she was bored and she loved it. If she were to receive a text, inviting her to some crazy party, she was going to pleasantly decline because tonight, Quinn had a date with her pajamas, some popcorn and the Netflix on her BlueRay player.

After taking a quick peak at her phone, she put it back on the table and left it behind to change into those PJs that she planned a date with. Just as her foot hit the bottom step, "Till the World Ends" started playing from the table. If it were anyone else, she would have kept walking up the stairs, but for some reason she just couldn't ignore a call from Brittany.

Hoping that she wasn't going to get another story about Lord Tubbington, Quinn answered, "Hey Britt."

"Hey Quinn," an unusual, melancholy voice came in through the ear piece.

Since she gave her phone number to Brittany three years before, never had one of her greetings been like this. She was always too excited to tell Quinn something and completely forgot that a greeting was even necessary. Immediately after hearing those words, she knew her perfectly boring plans for the night were completely lost and she knew the exact reason why, "Is she okay?"

"I don't know. You know how she is, she just told me where she was and to come and get her," a sniffle was heard, "I'm scared for her, Quinn."

"I know, Britt," Quinn said power walking her way to her front door, keys in hand, "I'm coming to get you, okay? And we'll go together."

"Okay," Brittany sniffled, "Quinn?"

"Yeah, Britt?" she answered the wobbly voice on the other end.

"How did you know I was calling about Santana?"

There were two reasons why Quinn instantly knew Brittany's call was about Santana. The thoughts came in quick succession and sent her directly into empathetic friend mode. First was Brittany's greeting. Not a lot of things bothered the usually bubbly blonde. She was well aware that people said some not so fantastic things about her, but she rarely ever let them get her down. Brittany felt for other people, especially the ones she cared about. Out of everyone, the person she cared for the most was Santana. Enter thought number two: Santana. All week she had seemed kind... out of it. She barely had anything to say to anyone in Glee Club when they expressed an opinion and even if she did, she simply agreed. It was like she was somewhere else all week. When Quinn finally asked her what was wrong after Glee on Thursday, Santana simply told her she had a lot on her mind and that she didn't want to talk about it.

Of course she didn't want to talk about it.

"I just knew," Quinn answered, knowing that answer would suffice for Brittany, "I'm leaving now, Britt, I'll be at your house in a few minutes."

"Will you stay on the phone with me until you get here?" the still sniffling blonde asked.

"Of course I will," Quinn answered and switched her phone to speaker before she put her car in reverse. Brittany only lived a couple of blocks away so it wouldn't be long before they were speaking in person, but Quinn wanted to help and be the friend she should have always been.

"I think she might have done something..." Brittany said slowly. Quinn could hear a door opening in the background and she assumed Brittany had walked outside.

"Like what...?" Quinn asked. She had her own suspicion, but she wondered if Brittany might have gotten a little more out of Santana than she had on Thursday.

"Well she was acting weird all week."

"Yeah, I think you and I are the only ones that noticed," Quinn sighed and put her car in park in front of Brittany's house. She watched as a sullen Brittany S. Pierce jogged over her front lawn to Quinn's Beetle.

"Of course no one else noticed!" she exclaimed as she sat down in the passenger seat, "Everyone was so happy that she wasn't making their lives hell that they didn't bother to say anything. Why would they want it to change? God forbid something's wrong! You know, everyone is so quick to say that I'm stupid and yeah, maybe I'm not the brightest but at least I'm not selfish. I notice when people aren't themselves, even when they aren't my best friend! Why aren't you driving?" Brittany's rant ended in a huff. She was out of breath and tears were forming in her eyes as she looked over to Quinn.

"I..." Quinn hesitated as she found herself wading in the uncharted waters of a near hysterical Brittany, "... I don't know where she is."

"Oh. Right," Brittany said shaking her head slightly, "when she called she was walking and she said she'd stop when she got to the elementary school."

"Where was she walking from?" Quinn asked as she put the car in drive.

"Her house," Brittany said flatly as the car started moving forward.

Suddenly, Quinn felt the pang of her suspicion becoming reality and as her car approached the last stop sign before the elementary school, she turned her head and asked Brittany, "Do you think she...?"

"Told her parents about us? Yes! The other day she mumbled something about 'getting it over with.' Then today, after school I said something about wishing I could kiss her goodbye and then instead of getting mad like she usually does, she said, 'Soon,' and ran out to her car. That was the last thing she said to me before she called me a half an hour ago," Brittany said, ranting again and leaving herself out of breath.

"A half an hour ago?" Quinn questioned as she pulled into the elementary school's parking lot, "her house is two miles away from here. Do you think she's even here yet?"

"Yup," Brittany answered pointing out her window towards the playground.

Quinn followed Brittany's finger to the barely lit playground and sure enough, there was Santana sitting on top of the jungle gym with her legs dangling between the bars and her face lit up by the light of her cell phone.

"I'll be right here," Quinn said assuming her presence was probably unwanted. As much as she wanted to be there for Santana, she figured it was best she stay behind.

"You aren't coming?" Brittany asked with a pout. Between that and the tears, Quinn couldn't even imagine saying no to her. She actually wondered how Santana, who was head-over-heals in love with Brittany could have possibly held out on coming out for this long.

"Okay, I'll come," Quinn answered, turning off her car, "but I'm hanging back."

"That's fine," Brittany responded and popped open her door.

Quinn waited until she made it to the gate before she opened her own door. Even with the fifteen paces between them, she took slow steps forward towards the gate. By the time she got there, Brittany was almost at the jungle gym. As she walked she kept her eyes on Santana who never looked up from her phone. She had to know they were there, Quinn thought, it wasn't like her headlights were out when she pulled up and the gate was definitely in need of some WD-40. Quinn stopped at the far post of the swing set, which was at least twenty steps away from where Brittany had stopped, but most likely in complete ear shot of both her and Santana.

"San?" Brittany's wobbly voice uttered the nickname that only she was allowed to use.

In the light of her phone, Quinn was sure she could see a half smile on Santana's lips. Without looking up she answered, "I did it, Britt."

"You did what, San?" Brittany asked, stepping closer to the metal structure underneath Santana.

"I told them," Quinn was positive Santana was smiling now. She could hear it.

"What did they say?" Brittany asked quietly.

"It doesn't matter," Santana said happily and then looked up, "They don't matter... wait what is she doing here?"

Quinn didn't know what to say. She also didn't know how she had gotten half way between the swings and the jungle gym.

"I called her. I was scared and you need more than just me, San. Will you come down? Please?" Brittany pleaded.

Santana gave Quinn one of her glares before putting her phone in her pocket and pulling her legs up from inside the jungle gym. When she turned around, Quinn noticed that she only used her left hand to maneuver her way back down the bars and despite that being her dominant hand, getting down from a dome of metal bars calls for the use of both.

"What's wrong with your hand?" she questioned once Santana was safe on the ground.

"Nothing-"

"San, your lip is bleeding," Brittany said, tracing her thumb just under Santana's lower lip.

"It was, it's fine now," Santana snapped, pulling her head away from Brittany's touch.

"Will you stop this!" Brittany yelled, "Two minutes ago you were so happy."

"Yeah well, two minutes ago no one was pointing out the side effects to my happiness," Santana huffed and blew past both Brittany and Quinn walking towards Quinn's car.

"We care about you!" Quinn yelled out to her. As the words left her mouth she knew they weren't enough and instantly she yelled out what she really meant, "We love you!" She waited until Santana had stopped until she continued, because she felt the need to continue... because she needed to... clarify... "I mean, of course I love you in a different way than Brittany," not helping, "you know what I mean."

Santana laughed slightly and as Brittany and Quinn approached her said, "Yeah, I know. Thanks. I love you, too, Q. Just not the way I love Brittany."

Quinn let out a tiny, breathy laugh that she hoped didn't sound as nervous as she felt and watched as Santana and Brittany exchanged the same puppy dog look they'd been giving each other as long as Quinn had known them.

"Umm..." Quinn broke into their 'moment,' "we can go back to my house if you guys want. My Mom is away for the weekend with her friends, so I have the house to myself."

"That's probably a good idea, everyone is home at my house," Brittany sighed, linking her arm into Santana's and turning to lead the way to Quinn's car.

"Well, I got kicked out, so my house is definitely out of the question," Santana laughed out. Brittany whipped her head to the left to look at Santana and Quinn's jaw popped open out of shock. She wasn't shocked that Santana had been kicked out of her house, she had already figured that. What was so shocking was Santana's lax attitude. "What? I'm not going to cry about it! I knew it was going to happen and I can't change it, so why not laugh about it?"

"Because they're your parents," Brittany said softly as they approached the car. She offered up the front seat but Santana had already opted for the back.

"Whatever."

After that, not another word was spoken the entire drive to Quinn's house. Despite knowing exactly what it felt like to be thrown out of her own home by her own father, she didn't know what to say. She didn't know it was going to happen when it did, so she never got the chance to prepare. Someone else made that decision for her.

Luckily, Quinn's house was less than ten minutes away from the elementary school, so the somewhat awkward silence of the ride was short-lived. The silence between them ended as they were walking into the house when Brittany revealed that she'd already solved Santana's homelessness situation, saying, "My Mom said that you can stay with us and she wants you to know that she loves you and that she hopes you're okay."

That's when everything hit Santana. Quinn could only watch it happen. Santana had barely gotten in the doorway when she fell to her knees and then all the way to the floor, sobbing. Brittany followed her down, wrapping her arms around her and pulling her into her tight enough that Santana's loud sobs became almost inaudible.

"It's okay," Brittany whispered, "everything is going to be okay."

"I know," Santana said into Brittany's shoulder. She pulled back, revealing that her crying had backed off slightly, "It's just... my Mom... she just... ugh... she just stood there while my father..."

"Did that?" Quinn asked pointing to Santana's right hand. She looked back to Santana's face, noticing for the first time that she also had a bruise forming under her eye and a few other smaller cuts on her cheek.

"No, he made whatever mess is on my face," she said, licking over the cut on her lip. "This is from tripping over the coffee table trying to get away from him," she winced as she lifted up the hand that definitely looked worse now that it was well lit.

"Shit!" Quinn scrambled down to the floor, "This is bad!"

"No it isn't-"

"Yes it is! Bend your wrist!" Quinn demanded, looking between Santana's eyes and her swollen and purple wrist.

"It's fine!"

"Bullshit!" Quinn called out as she shot her hand out and grabbed Santana's forearm.

"HOLYJESUSFUCKINGWHATTHEFUCK!"

"Maybe we should take you to the hospital," Brittany suggested in her usual deadpan.

Still reeling from the pain Quinn's grab had caused, Santana looked back and forth between Brittany and Quinn, receiving stern looks of concern from both, "Fine. But we're saying I fell off of that jungle gym."

"But-"

"I fell off the jungle gym, Quinn!"

"Okay," Quinn quietly agreed.

"I am one hundred percent done with them. They're never going to see me again. At least not in a place where _this_ could ever happen again. I figured everything out this week. I called my Tía and she's going to help me with everything. I'm getting out of here," she took a deep breath and then looked between Quinn and Brittany again, "I got into UCLA. I'm going."

Brittany's mouth popped open, surprised, "But you said you were-"

"I'm going to UCLA, Brittany!" Santana snapped.

"Oh," Brittany said quietly. She looked so hurt. Santana finally came out to her parents so they could be together, but then decided she was going to move to a completely different part of the country. She should be hurt, Quinn thought.

At the same time, Santana should have looked a lot more sorry.

Clearly, Quinn was missing something and she would probably never find out what it was, because despite the fact that they were all "best friends," she was always the third wheel. And it would _always_ be that way.

* * *

**A/N: Ahh... who doesn't love a good flashback? I'll be completely honest, I wrote this chapter _mostly_ for me. I've wanted to write this ever since I mentioned it happened way back when in WLJALTL. Hopefully I did it justice... well, I think I did, so... Anyways, let me know what you think! Your enthusiasm keeps me in the writing spirit.**


	12. Ghost

November 2015, New York City  
Hopefully an Alternate Universe

No?

Shit.

As if it wasn't heard the first time and as if no one had ever responded, the buzzer went off again. Both Santana and Quinn turned their attention to the box that could unlock the door to the street and allow the voice that caused Santana to stop functioning properly, up to their apartment.

"This isn't happening," Santana muttered still staring at the buzzer, "It's a joke. Like, some hidden camera shit. Right?"

Quinn could only look back at Santana. She wished this was a joke. Slowly, she shook her head then turned it back to the buzzer, "I really don't think so..."

"Quinn, I don't know what to do... I... what... why...?" Santana stuttered out and then jammed her hand into her pocket for her phone.

"What are you doing?" Quinn asked, through a quirked eyebrow.

"Texting Rachel-"

They both jumped when the buzzer went off for the third time. As Santana tapped away at the screen, Quinn turned and started walking back towards the buzzer.

"What are _you_ doing?" Santana paused her furious, typo ridden texting.

"We can't leave her out there! It's already been like, five minutes," Quinn answered with her finger hovering over the button that would buzz up what could possibly be absolute chaos.

"I..." Santana looked back down to her phone and quickly finished her message to Rachel:

**911 - The unthinkable has happened**

"Santana!"

"Just let her up," Santana sighed, somewhat defeated. What choice did she have? Quinn was right, they couldn't just leave her out there. Besides, what power did Brittany have over her anymore?

Well, in approximately ten seconds they were going to find out.

"Ready?" Quinn whispered as she walked up to Santana.

"I kind of have to be," Santana whispered back and turned to face the door that wouldn't be closed in about five seconds.

Together they listened as the foot steps got closer and closer, until they stopped. They turned their heads to look at each other as they waited for the knock, which seemed like it took an eternity to arrive.

"I'll answer it," Quinn whispered again and just before she went to the door, cupped Santana's cheeks between her hands and kissed her.

"I love you," Santana said as she pressed her forehead to Quinn's.

"I love you, too," Quinn returned, letting her eyes linger on Santana for just a second more before she turned away from her to let her girlfriend's first love into their home. Hand on the door knob, she closed her eyes and braced herself with one deep breath, then, like a Band Aid, pulled the door open as quick as she could.

"Quinn!"

The tall blonde from her past dropped the giant duffle bag that was in her hand and lunged forward, wrapping her arms around Quinn's shoulders and squeezing tight.

"Hey Brittany," Quinn greeted the bubbly as ever girl in her doorway.

Ten feet away, Santana stood in the middle of the hall watching it all happen. For the most part, she was fine, that is until she made eye contact. That's when her brain really scrambled. She watched Brittany's grip on Quinn's shoulders loosen, her body straighten out and step over slightly to her left.

"Hi, San," Brittany said softly.

"Hi, Brittany," Santana returned the greeting in the steadiest voice she could manage. She could feel her heart racing along with her thoughts as she continued to attempt to take everything that was happening in.

"You can come in," Quinn laughed slightly and then looked back to Santana to make sure she was alright.

"Oh yeah," Brittany said tapping her forehead, "I was just so excited to see you two!" She picked her gigantic duffle bag back up and stepped into the apartment. "Wow, it looks really different than I remember, San," she said looking into the rooms as she passed them.

"A lot can change in three years," Santana responded flatly, finally deciding she couldn't be in the hallway anymore. She picked up her LSAT book off the floor and walked to the kitchen without saying another word.

Feeling abandoned, Quinn turned to Brittany and gave her an awkward grin. What could she have possibly said?

"I probably deserved that," Brittany said looking away from Quinn and into the bedroom with all of "Quinn's things" inside of it.

"She'll be okay. Come on," Quinn said softly, leading the way to the kitchen, "You can leave your bag there."

Aimlessly flipping through her study book, Santana awaited the arrival of her girlfriend and her ex-girlfriend in the kitchen. She only got to flip three pages before Quinn walked through the doorway. Knowing that Brittany was right behind her, she tried to give Quinn the most subtle 'I love you' look she possibly could. In return she received the most beautiful smile from Quinn as she shuffled around the island with her back turned to Brittany.

And then there was Brittany.

Only taking a few steps into the kitchen, Brittany stood awkwardly with her back pack still on her shoulders as Santana and Quinn sat at the table looking back at her.

"You can sit down," Quinn offered, not being able to take the silence any longer.

"Um... I'm okay here," Brittany answered, as she tucked her thumbs under her back pack's shoulder straps, "Um... actually... Quinn, do you think maybe Santana and I could...?"

"Yes," Quinn answered quickly. She wasn't sure how much she wanted to leave the two in a room together, but she figured it should probably happen. She was sure that she didn't want to be in the kitchen anymore.

"What?" Santana whipped her head around to Quinn, shocked by her answer.

"Yeah. I'm going to go in the living room and hang out with Shakespeare," Quinn answered, getting up from her stool.

"Thanks, Quinn," Brittany said, looking up from the floor.

Quinn nodded slightly to Brittany and then turned out of the kitchen. As she grabbed her lap top and Complete Works, she kept her attention on the kitchen. She then settled onto the couch that was closer to the doorway so she could continue to hear everything, just from the safety of a different room.

For a while she heard nothing. It was really only two minutes, but when it's silent, two minutes feels like a half an hour.

Finally, Santana couldn't take it anymore, "What are you doing here?" she asked without any anger, because she wasn't angry. Actually, she wasn't sure how she felt at all. There wasn't a single emotion she could pin point. Really, she just knew she wasn't angry.

Brittany's eyes lit up with excitement and she said, "Alvin Ailey! He's putting me up in a hotel until I find a place! I'm part of his company!"

"Wow, Brittany, that's amazing!" Santana responded feeling genuinely happy that she was living out her dreams like she always wanted, "But, umm... I think Alvin Ailey died in the Eighties. I think it's just his company that's putting you up in a hotel. Which brings me back to my question: what are you doing _here_? And I mean here, in my apartment."

"I..." Brittany started and rolled her eyes, "... couldn't find my hotel."

"Why didn't you just take a cab?"

Brittany just gave Santana a look with her eyes wide and her mouth agape.

"Don't tell me you're afraid of taking a cab," Santana said incredulously.

"Only by myself," Brittany sighed.

"Haven't you been living in LA for the last two years? How did you get around there?" Santana wondered out loud.

"I had a car and Samantha," Brittany said with 'duh' in her voice.

"Samantha?"

"My GPS... how did you find out I was in LA? It's not like we're Facebook friends," Brittany asked, turning the tables on Santana for a moment.

"Quinn told me," Santana sighed, "she ran into your mom last summer. Why didn't you figure out how to take the subway to your hotel? I'm sure you have a smart phone," Santana asked, following the trend of rapid fire answer and ask.

"Because I wanted to see you! Is that really so awful?" Brittany's voice wavered slightly, her arms shooting up and falling back down with her hands landing in a smack on her thighs.

"No," Santana answered as she slowly shook her head, "It's not awful, it's just... I don't know. I've been trying to figure it out what it is since I heard your voice in the buzzer and I still don't know," she paused for moment and then realized exactly what it was, "It's like there's a ghost in my kitchen!"

"I didn't die-"

"It felt like it," Santana jumped on top of Brittany's retort, "I went from being with you everyday, practically every minute, to losing all contact with you whatsoever. So yes, it _was_ like you died." She looked down at her open study book to avoid the expression on Brittany's face. It was an expression she knew all too well and she knew that if she kept her eyes on it long enough, she'd start crying. Brittany needed to know that Santana was over this, but she also needed to know how much it had hurt. "Actually," she said looking back up from the book right into the hurt expression that always got to her, "it was worse than that. This whole time I've been well aware that you were alive, actively deciding to keep me out of your life."

Santana kept her glare on Brittany, letting her know that the power she once held over her had completely dissipated.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have come here," Brittany said shaking her head slightly and looking down at the floor.

"I didn't say that," Santana responded, standing up from the stool that had been her anchor this entire time.

"Well you don't seem to want me here," Brittany's tone heightened slightly as she looked back up from the floor.

"You just showed up, Brittany! How did you think I was going to react to this?" Santana questioned matching Brittany's tone. She was careful not to bring it any higher, having finally learned from experience that screaming matches just don't accomplish anything.

"I'm sorry," Brittany said as she finally removed her back pack and stepped further into the kitchen, "I know I should have called first, but I didn't think you'd answer."

"You're probably right," Santana admitted with a shoulder shrug. She figured there was probably a fifteen percent chance that she would have answered that call. Maybe even less.

"But I figured you wouldn't let me stand outside your door, so I just got on the subway and came here. I know, it wasn't the most tactful way of doing it, but that's not really my style," she shrugged and laughed a little.

Thinking about how true that was, Santana smiled back.

"Ever since I took the offer from Alvin Ailey this was all I could think about. I know I should have been thinking about how awesome the opportunity was and where I was going live and stuff, but this," she pointed between herself and Santana, "you... I want my best friend back."

"Uh..." Santana's breath hitched as she tried to assemble a response. She didn't think it was going to be that easy, did she? Did Brittany really think she could just show up and woo her back into a best friendship with her quirks? "Brittany... I..."

"I'm not expecting you to just welcome me back into your life like nothing ever happened. Don't worry, I didn't think that," Brittany answered Santana's mini inner-monologue as if she'd heard the whole thing.

"Okay..."

"And I'm not here to try and win your heart or anything, so there's nothing to worry about Quinn," she said, directing the last part towards the living room.

"What?" Santana and Quinn voiced simultaneously.

"I mean... I wasn't... yeah, I was listening," Quinn admitted from the couch, looking into the kitchen.

Brittany laughed as she sat down on a stool at the island. Finally. "You almost had me fooled with the bedrooms and Quinn's Facebook is totally lezzie love free, but you two have no idea how to _not_ look in love," Brittany said looking between them. If there was one thing besides dancing that Brittany was good at, it was figuring people out.

Quinn got off the couch to come back into the kitchen and after hearing what Brittany just said, she couldn't help but look in love with Santana. She felt even _more_ in love when she noticed that Santana seemed to be having the exact same issue.

"See, look at you two; it's so cute I kind of want to throw up," Brittany deadpanned and then laughed at her impression of Santana.

Santana rolled her eyes, looking away from Quinn briefly as she took the stool closest to her. Just as her eyes landed on Brittany, her pocket dinged and vibrated, alerting her of a new text. She'd completely forgotten that she had sent Rachel a 911 text.

**OMG! What?**

Then without getting the opportunity to answer, a new message came in:

**Brittany!**

"It's sick how well she knows me," Santana mumbled and put her phone face down on the table.

"Who?" Brittany asked out of the cluelessness that had been missing in most of the previous conversation.

"Umm... Rachel..." Santana answered, not sure of what Brittany would think of that one.

"Really? Hey, isn't she in a show on Broadway? Did she drop out of Juilliard for that?" Brittany asked in a way that was somehow both scatterbrained and mindful.

"Yes, yes and yes," Santana answered all three of her questions, "I'm willing to bet she's on her way her way here and you'll get to ask a million questions."

"Really?"

"Yeah, she's good like that," Quinn said, laughing a little and looking over to Santana.

"Even if she isn't on her way, I'm sure that you'll get to see her at some point," Santana said, hoping that Brittany would catch on and realize that she'd decided she was willing to give a friendship a shot. That is, until she remembered she was dealing with Brittany. She took a deep breath, grabbed Quinn's hand under the island and said, "I want to give this a try. Umm... being friends... again."

She wasn't quite sure what she was getting herself (and Quinn) into, but deep down, it felt right. It was one of those decisions made with her gut and not with her head, because if she were listening to her head, she'd be throwing Brittany right out and tossing her giant duffle bag directly at her face, hoping to cause physical pain that amounted to the emotional pain she'd endured for months. While her head was absolutely correctly, she couldn't ignore what her gut screaming at her. This was Brittany. Beyond everything else, she was always her best friend. She _did_ still love her, even if it wasn't the same as before.

How could she possibly deny her this second chance?

She couldn't.

"You do? Oh my god! San! Thank you," Brittany screeched, jumping up from the stool and throwing her arms around Santana.

Her grip on Quinn's hand grew tighter as she lifted her other arm to wrap it around Brittany.

"I'm not really sure that I can... um... could you not call me that?" Santana asked while Brittany's arms were still wrapped around her shoulders. What she had stopped herself from saying was that she wasn't sure she could handle hearing that name again.

"But I've always..." Brittany started as she broke the hug, "Okay. Yeah, whatever you want. Anything. I really want this to work." She sat back down and began inspecting her fingers.

As long as she'd known her, Santana had never seen Brittany act this way. She was awkward and unsure of herself, the exact opposite of the carefree and confident girl she had been in love with once upon a time.

"Thanks," Santana returned softly.

Once again a silence fell between the three of them, but this time the tension that was clearly hanging from every inch of the quiet before, was no longer present. This silence was actually okay. At least for Santana and Quinn... who knows what Brittany was thinking.

And then it was broken.

By the buzzer.

"Is that Rachel?" Brittany asked slightly jumping off of her stool.

"I'm sure it is," Santana answered as she pushed herself up off the stool. She rounded the table, passing behind Brittany and then walked out of the kitchen to the buzzer on the wall directly across the hall. "Did you fly here?" she laughed into he speaker.

"Just press the butt-" Santana let go of the button that allowed Rachel to speak to her, laughed at where her sentence dropped off and then buzzed her up. She continued laughing all the way to the door until she opened it. Seeing Rachel bounding up the stairs made her laugh, yet again. "What on Earth is so damn funny Santana?" Rachel huffed when she got to the top of the stairs.

"You! You were here so fast it was like I told you Bernadette Peters was up here!" Santana laughed some more.

"I would have been here faster if you'd sai- is she staying here?" Rachel interrupted herself when she saw the giant duffle bag that Brittany had left in the hallway.

"She's in the kitchen, Rach..." Santana whispered, causing Rachel to put on her awkward face, "And... I don't know..."

"Hey Rachel," Brittany's head popped from out of the kitchen.

"Brittany!" Rachel sprang forward to give the dancer a hug. She reacted so quickly it was like she completely forgot she was on Team Santana, "How was LA?"

"Amazing! How's Broadway?" Brittany asked as they turned to go back into the kitchen.

'What was that?' Santana asked herself as she followed them into the kitchen.

"Everything I ever dreamed of and then some," Rachel answered with her big, excited eyes.

"That's so great!" Brittany returned the excitement.

"Yeah, it is," Rachel nodded. Santana could see the gears turning, though. She _knew_ that Rachel was just itching to ask her why she was here and honestly, Santana wished she would because there had to be more to the story than just Alvin Ailey came calling. That doesn't just happen.

"I think Rachel wants to know what you're doing in New York," Quinn jumped in. Clearly, all this time with Rachel and she can read her, too.

"Right," Brittany chuckled a little, "Well, maybe I'll start from the beginning."

"That's perfect," Rachel said.

* * *

**A/N: Yup, like you all guessed: Brittany. Go ahead, let me know what you think! I only ask that you refrain from telling me how predictable I've become. Thank you! Lots and lots of love.**


	13. Validation

September 2012, Lima, Ohio  
Guidance

For three days, ever since she had stepped off of the plane and back onto land within Ohio's borders, Brittany had been existing in a haze. Nothing anyone did or said to her could break away the fog that had gathered in her mind. Going school shopping with her mom and little sister didn't even help. Shopping with her mom and her sister always helped.

Not this time.

This wasn't something superficial like a bad Cheerios practice or a sub par dance rehearsal or anything else "terrible" that had ever happened to her. This was by far, the worst pain she'd ever found herself in in her entire eighteen years of life. A few new outfits couldn't even come close to remedying the pain she was in.

Her mother had been trying to help since she had picked her up at the airport. Brittany hadn't made any effort to hide to the fact that she was not happy. She had hoped that her mother would just assume she was exhausted from having to wake up at 4 AM for an eight o'clock flight home from New York. Of course when she slumped into the front seat, her mother looked over to her and realized that her daughter was not in the best mood. As she put the car in drive and merged into the arrival traffic, she said what she always said to her daughter when she looked glum, probably thinking it would never be true, "Jeez, honey, you look like you just lost your best friend."

Every other time she had heard her mother say that to her she would chuckle. This time, she immediately realized she had taken for granted the existence of her friendship with Santana and it hit her that she had not only broken up with her girlfriend, but also _actually _lost her best friend. There was nothing that could stop the wave of tears that flooded from her eyes.

There didn't seem to be an awful emotion that she wasn't feeling. The biggest, was guilt. No matter where it started, every thought she ever had came right back to the guilt she felt. It had taken her far too long to realize that she wasn't in love with Santana and then when she finally told her, it was the worst possible time.

Three weeks.

That was how long it had taken her to say the exact words she knew Santana had never wanted to hear.

"I do love you Santana, I just don't think I can ever love you the way you want me to."

Her own words rang through her head a million times a day. Even though they were true and she knew she had done the right thing, she could not help but feel guilty about the way everything ended. If only she had figured it out a week earlier; she never would have gone to New York. If she'd figured it out even sooner, maybe they never would have started dating and they could be best friends still.

Wishful thinking.

After thinking about everything Santana related for three days straight, Brittany had come to the conclusion that she must have confused being enamored by the fact that Santana would do anything for her with love. How could she deny her when she had gotten kicked out of her own home for her? She abandoned an entire part of her life so that she could be with her and for what? For Brittany to just break her heart... for a second time.

Being aware of everything, made it all that much worse.

"So, Brittany, how was your summer?" the mousy voice of Miss Pillsbury poked its way into Brittany's black cloud of thought.

It was the second day of school and Brittany had found herself in Miss Pillsbury's office. They had actually scheduled this appointment at the end of last year so that they could map out how Brittany was going make it through the year, get into a college and graduate.

"It was great, until the end," Brittany sighed. The moment she finished saying it, she knew it was too much.

Miss Pillsbury frowned and said, "Because Santana left for school."

"You could say that," Brittany answered, hoping that would be the last of it. The only way to be sure it ended was to end it herself, "So, what's the plan for the year Miss P?"

"Well, Brittany, that's entirely up to you," Miss Pillsbury answered, folding her hands in front of her.

'What a stupid thing to say.'

"I don't think that's true, Miss Pillsbury. I mean, I always planned on graduating on time but it didn't really seem like anyone wanted to help me do that even though it was their job," Brittany responded as bitterly as she felt about not being able to graduate with all of her friends.

"You're right, Brittany, this school failed you, but things are going to be different this year. You've got a whole team of us on your side and you're going to graduate."

"I sure am! And I'm going to get into CalArts. The end."

"Brittany your GPA-"

"Isn't really that bad! I did okay my freshman and sophomore year. It was my junior year and last year that I gave up. But those classes that I took in July had to have helped."

"They did-"

"Okay and I read somewhere that sometimes schools will accept people that have shown they've overcome diversity-"

"Adversity-"

"Whatever..." 'wait, that's what got me here in the first place,' "right, adversity. That's me! I can do this Miss P! I just need help," Brittany pleaded with the school's guidance councilor.

"You really want this," Miss Pillsbury said leaning in a little.

"More than anything," Brittany was practically begging by now.

"Okay, Brittany. I'm going to make sure that you get every ounce of help you need to get into CalArts. You and Santana will back together in no time," she said with a big, sympathetic smile.

She just had to say it.

"Yeah, Miss P, back together in no time," Brittany responded flatly, losing all of the passion she had just a moment before. She was reminded of why she came into this meeting advocating CalArts and not Juilliard like she had always planned.

Juilliard meant New York.

New York meant Santana.

None of those things were options anymore.

...{ }...

November 2015, New York City  
An Island

"Mr. Schue _and_ Coach Sylvester were totally down for helping me out-"

"Wait a minute," Quinn interrupted, "Sue wanted to help you? I didn't think Sue actually knew how to help anyone."

"She helped me," Santana chimed in, "she actually wrote me a really bitchin' recommendation. One that didn't use the words 'sandbags' or 'Boobs McGee.'"

"Anyways..." Rachel gave Santana and Quinn looks and then glanced at Brittany to keep going.

"Yeah, Sue helped me and so did everyone in the Glee Club. Tina helped me with Trig and Physics, Blaine helped me out with English, Mr. Schue gave me extra History help and I was already kick ass at Spanish. Thanks," she finished with a look towards Santana.

"You're welcome," Santana returned softly.

Brittany watched briefly as Santana looked back to Quinn who gave a tiny, silent laugh. Shaking off the foreign feeling that she couldn't quite put her finger on, Brittany continued, "Everyone in Glee even pitched in and got me a speech recognition software so I could say my application essay instead of type it. We all know I'm better at speaking than writing. Mr. Schue, Coach Sylvester _and_ Miss Pillsbury all wrote me recommendations."

"Miss Pillsbury had to write everyone a recommendation," Santana added.

"And she uses a form letter for them, but not mine. She wrote mine from scratch," Brittany retorted.

"Where did you audition?" Rachel questioned enthusiastically.

"Chicago. It was terrifying, but so much fun. I don't know how to explain it, but I just knew I'd kicked complete and total ass. And there was one professor that actually talked to me afterwards-"

"What? Brittany, that like, never happens," Rachel jumped it.

"I know," Brittany smiled.

"Well, what did he say?" Quinn asked, pulling her eyes away from Santana just long enough to do so.

"_She_ said that my contemporary piece was beautiful, but my hip hop piece was one of the best she'd seen on the entire audition tour... and that was the second to last stop," Brittany couldn't help but beam remembering the professor that quickly became her favorite and her mentor.

"Brittany, that's unbelievable," Santana said through that smile that let the recipient know she was being completely genuine.

"Yeah, I know, almost as unbelievable as the scholarship I got. 'The Sharon Disney Lund School of Dance of the California Institute of Art is proud to award Brittany S. Pierce with a scholarship equivalent to all tuition and fees associated with earning the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance,'" Brittany recited the opening line of the best article of mail she had ever received.

"I auditioned for CalArts, but I ultimately decided that California just wasn't for me..." Rachel began and then stopped, acknowledging the three identical "really?" looks she received, "It's a four year conservatory program, though, like Juilliard, but you're here...?"

"Right, well, remember the professor that I said spoke to me after my audition, well, she's friends with someone, who shall remain nameless, that is pretty high up in the Alvin Ailey totem pole. Well, he slash she came to my class's end of the year showcase and she came and found me at the end. She had been looking for someone to fill a spot in the Ailey II company and she offered it to me, just from the showcase," Brittany still couldn't entirely wrap her head around how it all had happened. Everything about it.

Clearly, Rachel was having a hard time wrapping her head around it, too. She was just sitting across the island with her mouth wide open, gaping over at Brittany.

"Hey Rach, you're face is gonna stick like that. Your Broadway career will be over if you don't move it soon," Santana taunted from her corner of the island.

"It's just... it's just that things never happen like that," Rachel said shaking her head.

"I know, it's crazy! I still can't believe it," Brittany said agreeing with Rachel. She knew that her luck was incredible, but she also knew that she was talented. Things like this don't happen to people who don't deserve it, right?

"You should believe it," Santana said, locking her eyes onto Brittany and giving her that smile again, "you're amazing. You've always been amazing. And now you have the validation you always wanted... and then some."

"Yeah, I do," Brittany agreed, shaking away the brief flashback to a moment that occurred over three years prior in just the next room.

"So what's the Ailey II company?" Quinn asked clearly unaware of what had just happened... at least that's how Brittany had seen it.

"They travel. So I get to like tour the country and stuff. But they said I should have a place in the city so that when we're here, I have a place to stay," Brittany answered Quinn's question and then some.

"So... you're looking for a place here... like, _actually_ moving here? To New York?" Santana asked as if that wasn't what Brittany had just said. She was pretty sure she had mentioned she was looking for a place earlier, too. Perhaps Santana just wasn't as quick as she used to be.

"Um... yeah. I have to. Next year I'm transferring into the Ailey school and getting my BFA from there. So, I actually plan on being in New York for a while. I swear I said something about finding my own place before...?" Brittany let the last syllable hang for a little as she tried to read Santana. It was clear that three years of zero contact with her had made her ability to do so falter.

"You did," Quinn answered looking at Santana with a perplexed expression.

"I... umm... I don't know, maybe I was still busy processing the fact that you're in my apartment again," Santana shrugged, "and now I have to process this..."

"Hey... ummm... would you two excuse us for a second?" Quinn asked looking between Rachel and Brittany.

"Of course."

"Sure..." Brittany answered and started to get up, wondering where she could possibly go in the apartment where she wouldn't be able to hear them talking, but wouldn't be awkward if she was there.

"Oh no, you two stay here," Quinn stopped Brittany from putting herself in yet another awkward situation, "we're going to go up to the roof, if that's okay?"

Quinn was clearly asking if Brittany and Rachel were okay with it, but she looked at Santana. Once again Brittany got that unfamiliar feeling. This time, when she saw the look that Quinn was giving Santana, she knew what it was. In the three and half years the the Unholy Trinity had existed, never had she once felt this. Clearly, that was over and it if she was going to stick around and try to regain Santana's friendship, she was going to have to get used this feeling. She now knew exactly what Quinn must have felt all those years: left out.

"Yeah, that's cool. You guys should probably talk," Brittany responded the only way could have. "I want to ask Rachel a whole bunch of questions about her show anyways and I'm sure you two have heard enough," she added, covering up whatever emotion that might have come through in that last comment.

"Okay, we'll be back in a little bit," Quinn said grabbing Santana's hand and leading her out of the kitchen.

The kitchen stayed quiet until both of the girls that were left behind heard the to the hall close. The instant the click was heard, Rachel perked up in her stool and asked, "What do you want to know?"

'Everything.'

* * *

**A/N: As per usual, I'd love to hear from you! Hope you liked it!**


	14. This Should Be Interesting

November 2015, New York City  
Five Stories Up/Three Floors Down

After Quinn excused them from the kitchen, she and Santana made the trek up the stairs to the roof of their building in silence. They held hands all the way up, but didn't say a word to each other. All they could hear was their footsteps and it was perfect. For the last hour and a half there was noise that they weren't prepared for, so a little quiet was welcomed with open arms.

When they arrived at the top of the stairs, Quinn was positive Santana was going to bust through the door and start screaming out her frustration. For the most part, she'd been pretty calm during the entire encounter with Brittany. Considering the circumstances, Quinn was actually really proud of how well Santana handled everything. By now though, things must have been boiling inside of her.

Santana got to the door first and like Quinn had predicted, she swung it open with all kinds of extra force. Much to Quinn's surprise however, a scream never followed.

Quinn flicked on the lights and propped open the door, still preparing for some sort of loud noise to be caused by her girlfriend. Instead, when she looked up from the floor, she found a pacing Santana.

Shoulders hunched, arms crossed and head down, Santana was crossing the width of the roof over and over again. Unsure of what to do, Quinn kept some distance between them by staying near the door. Maybe some alone time with Santana was what Santana needed for a little bit, so Quinn just hung back and watched.

After a good twenty more laps back and forth, Santana finally stopped and settled against the half wall that separated their roof from the next building's. Arms still crossed and shoulders still rounded, she looked up to Quinn, who was nearly the entire length of the roof away and said, "I have a headache."

"I'm sorry," Quinn replied and began slowly walking towards Santana.

"It isn't your fault," she shrugged back.

"I know, but I still feel bad," Quinn shrugged back as she picked up her pace slightly.

"You know what might make me feel a little better?"

"What?"

"A Quinn hug," Santana pouted and pushed herself off of the wall.

"I think I can get you one of those," Quinn answered and quickly closed the gap between them. As soon as she got to her, Santana wrapped her arms around Quinn's neck. Quinn's hands slid around Santana's waist and her arms squeezed her impossibly closer into her. After about a millisecond, Quinn felt Santana relax into her and then heard her sigh, "Better?"

"So much. I love you," she whispered into Quinn's ear.

"I love you, too," Quinn sighed back and ignored her instinct to ask Santana what she was thinking. She wasn't going to hold it back forever, but right this second was not the correct moment. So, she waited it out and just held her girlfriend a little longer.

After a few more moments, Quinn felt the arms on her shoulders shift back towards their owner and then a throat clear, "I think we should let Brittany stay here."

...} {...

Brittany sat with her hands folded in front of her, staring just beyond them and thinking about what it was she really wanted to ask Rachel. Before she showed up, Santana and Quinn had informed her that Rachel was Santana's _best_ friend.

How the hell did that happen?

Brittany figured that they'd both have to be quite different people in order for that to work out.

A lot can change in three years.

"So, how'd you get here so fast? I have a feeling you don't live in TriBeCa since Juilliard is in Midtown," Brittany asked using her limited knowledge of the city and her bubbly tone. It wasn't what she really wanted to ask, but her track record of tactlessness for the evening wasn't looking so good.

"I was at a cast mate's place on Canal," Rachel answered. She looked suspicious of something. It was actually a little worrying to Brittany, but before she could come up with another cover up question Rachel opened her mouth, "Why did you come here?"

She knew it was coming. If she was in Rachel's shoes, which she was for a long time, she would have asked the same thing. Brittany figured she'd cut to the chase this time, "I wanted to see her."

"So you decided to just show up?" Rachel asked incredulously.

'_God, how many times do I have to go through this?'_ "Yes, I just showed up. I wanted to see Santana so bad that I skipped the phone call that she wouldn't answer and rang her buzzer, knowing that she wouldn't let me stand out there in the dark," Brittany took a breath, realizing that she hadn't refilled her lungs through the entire rant and then continued, "I missed her. She was my best friend. There isn't anyone that knows me better than she did. I still love her-"

"You what?" Rachel interrupted in disbelief.

"I'm not _in_ love with her," Brittany clarified, "I know that I hurt her, but it isn't like I just went home and went through life like nothing was wrong. I got through round two of senior year because when I wasn't in class, Glee or Cheerios, I was home feeling like shit about losing the best friend I'd ever had. The only thing that took my mind off of that was homework and believe me, even with the extra work I had, there wasn't enough," Brittany said holding back the tears that were beginning to form.

"You felt like shit about losing your _best friend_?" Rachel asked and then laughed, "That isn't selfish at all."

"What-"

"Meanwhile, you left Santana here an absolute mess. _She_ lost who she thought was the love of her life," Rachel said leaning into the island to get just a little bit closer to Brittany.

"_I _was selfish?" Brittany asked through an incredulous laugh, "She's the one who asked me to marry her!"

...{ }...

From the second they'd passed her bag in the hall, Santana had been thinking about having Brittany move in with them... temporarily of course. She wasn't sure if it was the best idea, but she knew it wasn't a bad one. It was the right thing to do. They shouldn't let their friend stay in a hotel by herself when they have a perfectly good room for her to stay in... even if that friend had been estranged for three years.

"Are you sure?" Quinn asked, resting her hands on Santana's hips. Santana looked into her eyes and even in the dim roof lighting, she could tell that Quinn wasn't entirely sure this was even a good idea, never mind the best.

'_Oh no, what if she thinks...?'_

Before she could let herself jump to conclusions, "Q, what are you thinking? I can tell you don't think this is a good idea."

"No, I do think it's a good idea, I just... I'm..." she trailed off and looked down at the ground, shaking her head.

"Quinn, come on, don't do that. Talk to me," Santana requested, ducking her head down to try and meet Quinn's eyes.

Quinn looked back up. Her lips were curled between her teeth and she was clearly nervous.

'_She is thinking that...'_

"It's just... Whydidyoustillhavethatvideo?" Quinn spit out the question in one word and then looked like she instantly regretted it. She bit down hard on her bottom lip as she waited for Santana's reaction.

Santana's first reaction: a kiss. She grabbed Quinn's cheeks and kissed the nervous look off her face. She might not have been sure of her answer, but she was positive about how she felt about Quinn and _nothing_, not a single thing on the planet could ever change that.

"I don't know," Santana breathed out after she took her lips back, "I honestly forgot that it was there. When they transferred all my stuff over from my old computer to the MacBook, all the files got dumped into one folder and I only went looking for my word docs. I left everything else alone."

"Okay...?"

"Quinn, I'm serious," Santana said cupping Quinn's cheeks between her hands, "I love you. You are literally the only person I see and nothing is ever going to make my tunnel vision disappear." She kissed Quinn again and felt all the butterflies that she loved so much.

"I'm sorry," Quinn whispered as she pressed her forehead to Santana's, "I love you so much." She giggled a little and whispered, "I think my stomach just did a double back handspring."

"Mine, too," Santana whispered back through a laugh and then kissed Quinn again.

"So, should we call Tia?"

...} {...

The shock that found it's way onto Rachel's face instantly let Brittany know that a certain proposal wasn't common knowledge. Guilt was rising with record speed through her chest as she sensed her second chance with Santana ending as quickly as it had started.

"Oh. My. God."

"I really shouldn't have said that," Brittany tried to cover up her tracks as best she could. She made sure her tone was dripping in guilt.

"This changes everything!"

"No, it really doesn't," Brittany began to panic as Rachel's weird excitement grew.

"When did she propose?" Rachel asked with crazy eyes.

"She didn't," Brittany answered quickly. Rachel's eyes didn't become any less insane, "eight hours before I was going to leave."

"Of course she did! And when you said 'no' she wouldn't take it."

Brittany nodded in agreement but completely feared where Rachel was taking this.

"You had to go home, I've always recognized that, but I didn't think that should have been enough to break everything. The trigger was always missing from the story... that was it! You said no to an All or Nothing type of person and hell broke loose," Rachel revealed looking way too satisfied with herself.

Brittany had no idea how to respond. She wasn't even entirely sure what had just happened. All she did was sit there staring at Rachel.

"Do you believe in fate?" Rachel asked, her entire demeanor changing. It looked like she was ready to have somewhat of a "normal" conversation. Not that anything about this could ever get back to "normal."

Brittany knew her answer to that. In the last few years she would have answered it differently, but today her answer was, "I've worked too hard to believe in fate."

"That's exactly how I feel, but then I look at Santana and Quinn and it's just like they're supposed to be together-"

"I'm not here to break them up, I didn't even know they were together until I saw the way they look at each other," Brittany defended.

"That's not why I'm saying this," Rachel replied softly and through a smile.

"Oh, sorry. I'll let you get to it," Brittany laughed nervously.

Rachel laughed a little and then continued, "What I mean is, it seems like all the things in their lives led them up to each other. It's kind of cool. And it makes you reevaluate everything in your own life and wonder if it's the same."

"Like, we worked our asses off to get to our destiny?" Brittany asked not really buying what Rachel was selling.

"No, like, you went back home to Lima after breaking up with Santana, decided to go to California instead of New York, worked your butt off to get there and then when you did, you continued to work your butt off, then you got discovered. That's what I mean by fate," Rachel said with a smile, clearly confident in her theory.

Brittany sat dumbfounded by Rachel's logic. She was actually almost convinced by it. Rachel was right. If she hadn't broken up with Santana, she would have moved back to New York to be with her and she might not have the opportunity she has now. Maybe it was fate.

"See, now you're thinking about it..."

...{ }...

Quinn moved her hands down from Santana's hips down to where her pockets were and started groping for Santana's cell phone, "Where's your phone?"

"It's not in my pocket?" Santana asked without moving her arms from Quinn's shoulders. She wasn't going to stop the groping.

Quinn slid her hands back over Santana's ass, checking her back pockets and with a smirk answered, "Nope, none of them." She let her hands stay back there for a little, tucking her fingers into Santana's pockets.

"I must have left it on the table," Santana shrugged, "it's late anyways, I don't want to bug them."

"We can use my phone. Besides, they have a three and a half month old baby, I'm sure at least one of them is awake and dying for some adult interaction," Quinn said removing one of her hands from Santana's pocket and pulling her phone from own pocket.

"Wait a second," Santana requested, grabbing the hand Quinn was holding her cell phone in, "How do we go about asking this? I mean, it's kind of weird... isn't it?"

"Not really. Not in the realm of lesbians at least," Quinn shrugged as if it wasn't weird that she held that kind of knowledge.

"Uh... since when are you so hip to lesbian stereotypes?" Santana questioned, stepping back a little and leaning back onto the wall.

"I read a lot," Quinn said defensively. She then began searching for Santana's aunts' phone number in her contacts. She couldn't remember if she'd put them in as Vicky and Rosa or Rosa and Vicky... Rosa and Vicky, alphabetically, of course. She pressed send and then joined Santana on the wall, "it's ringing."

"I know, it's on speaker-"

"Shut up," Quinn laughed and playfully smacked Santana's thigh.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Tia!"

"Oh! Hey, Tana. Whose number is that?"

"It's mine! Hi, Rosa!" Quinn shouted into the phone.

"Hi, Quinn!" Rosa responded excitedly.

"How's my little Cuz doing?" Santana asked.

"He's finally asleep," Rosa's wife Vicky responded from a distance.

"Oh no! We didn't wake him up did we?" Quinn asked feeling guilty that she insisted they call right away.

Santana refrained from giving her an "I told you so" look.

"No, none of the phones in the house are close enough to Doyle's room," Rosa answered.

"Oh good," Quinn sighed.

"So, to what do we owe this semi-late, Sunday night phone call?" Rosa asked probably already knowing that they wanted to ask her something.

"Well, umm... we kind of wanted to ask you something...?" Santana stumbled out, still hung up on how weird it was that she was about to ask her aunt if her ex-girlfriend could stay in the apartment she and her current girlfriend had been living in practically since they started dating.

"Are you looking to fill the still empty bedroom in that apartment?" Rosa asked suspiciously.

"Oh no! Is it Rachel or Kurt? What happened?" Vicky jumped in really nervous about nothing.

"No they're fine. Still the best Super Straight and Super Gay best friend combo," Quinn answered, to quell Vicky's fears, "Kurt is actually touring around the country with a famous designer that he refuses to disclose the name of so Rachel pretty much has their place to herself."

"Ooo," both Rosa and Vicky said into their end.

"Actually we were wondering..." Santana looked at Quinn with an awkward smile and then continued the request as best she could, "if Brittany could live with us... temporarily... until she finds her own place."

"Brittany?" Rosa asked.

"_The_ Brittany?" Vicky asked right after.

"Uh huh..."

"She's back?" Rosa questioned as if that wasn't already implied.

"Actually she's in the kitchen with Rachel, probably getting her ears chewed off about Rachel's show," Quinn laughed as she pictured Brittany zoning out while Rachel just kept spewing information about her show.

"She doesn't know that we're going to ask her yet," Santana added, thinking it was important that her aunts know this was entirely their idea.

"So you guys have already discussed this and you're both okay with it?" Rosa asked.

"Yeah, we're definitely both okay with," Quinn answered, looking at Santana with the most loving smile she could make.

"Definitely," Santana assured, returning Quinn's smile with one of her own.

"Well, then you go rescue Brittany and tell her she has a place to stay," Rosa sighed into the phone.

"Thanks, Tia!"

"I hope you two know what you're getting into," Vicky added before the call could end.

"At this point, I think we can get through anything," Quinn smiled and then kissed Santana as quietly as she could.

"I know you can, I just wanted to make sure you thought the same," Vicky replied.

"Thank you," Santana answered.

"We'll let you get back to your rare, quiet alone time," Quinn said.

"You have no idea how rare it is!" Rosa exclaimed and then laughed.

"Ew! Stop! How many times do I have to tell you to hang up before you start that?"

The laughter continued until Rosa finally said, "Okay! Talk to you two soon! ¡Adiós mis sobrinas bellas!"

"Bye! Good luck!" they heard Vicky shout and then nothing.

"Gross."

"Did Rosa say 'nieces?' As in both of us?" Quinn asked, totally shocked at what she had just heard.

Santana smiled then turned, wrapping her arms around Quinn. "I think so," she whispered then kissed Quinn's temple, "Come on, let's go tell Brittany the good news."

...} {...

If what Rachel was saying was even remotely true, then Brittany was supposed to be there. She was supposed to be sitting in Santana and Quinn's kitchen talking to Rachel about whether or not she believed in fate.

The whole concept was dizzying.

If what Rachel was saying was true, then she was supposed to feel that strange, left out feeling earlier. She was supposed to witness how happy Santana and Quinn were and she was _supposed_ to feel happy for them. And she was. She was _really_ happy for them. She wasn't entirely sure why, but she was... happy for them.

"I'm really happy for them."

"Huh?" Rachel questioned.

"Quinn and Santana. I'm happy for them," Brittany said softly through a tiny smile.

"Where did that come from?" Rachel asked. Clearly, she wasn't making the same connection that Brittany had made in her head.

"Fate. It's what we've been talking about. According to you, all of this is supposed to be happening. I was supposed to come here and find out about them and find out that you and Santana are best friends. And whatever happens after tonight is supposed to happen," Brittany said throwing Rachel's theory right back at her.

"That sounds about right," Rachel agreed with a simple shrug.

"I know that everything that pop culture has taught us says that I shouldn't really be happy for them, but I am. I can tell that _they're_ really happy and that's amazing," Brittany smiled, "I'm like, _really_ happy for Santana. I bet she's worked really hard to get to this place. This is what she's always wanted; to be happy." Brittany laughed to herself a little, thinking about the next thing she was going to say (and how many times she'd said the word happy), but she was really glad that she was able to say it, "Santana didn't look at me the way she looks at Quinn. There's just something else there. I don't know what it is, but it's there and it's so great."

"Aren't they like, so gross?" Rachel laughed.

Brittany got really excited and laughed out, "That's what I said to them!"

The girls laughed together for a little and once it dissipated, Rachel said to Brittany, "I'm sorry I called you selfish."

"Huh?"

"What you just said was quite possibly one of the most selfless things I've ever heard," Rachel responded, looking genuinely apologetic.

"It's all true."

"I believe you," Rachel smiled and in that instant, the sound of the dead bolt in the door was heard. Both girls' heads turned in the direction of the noise and then quickly back to each other. Within seconds, Rachel was putting her Juilliard training to good use, "I was taking voice lessons the whole time, so the fact that Juilliard doesn't have a musical theatre program wasn't really an issue for me."

"But what about dance? Isn't dance a big part of Musical Theatre-"

"Oh hey guys!" Rachel interrupted Brittany's "fake" questioning. Actually that wasn't a fake question. She really wanted to know what she was doing about the whole dance aspect of Musical Theatre. Maybe another day.

"She didn't talk too much did she? Rachel has a tendency to do such a thing," Santana said jokingly and then laughed at Rachel's huff.

"Sorry we were gone for so long," Quinn apologized, looking between Rachel and Brittany.

"It's cool, it's not like I had super big plans for tonight... you know... besides sneak attacking you guys," Brittany shrugged awkwardly, "But... um... I should really try to get to my hotel. It's getting pretty late."

"Actually, Brittany, we... umm... kind of wanted to talk to you about something..." Santana began, stopping Brittany from getting up from the stool she'd been sitting in for what seemed like hours at this point.

"O...kay...?" Brittany replied slowly and unsure.

"Well, as you might have figured out, we have an extra room and we were actually thinking that maybe you'd want to stay in it... until you find your own place, because, you know, hotels suck," Santana stammered out. She was really quite articulate when she had no idea what she was going to say... not.

Brittany actually couldn't believe what she was hearing. Santana and Quinn just asked her to stay in their apartment... with them. "Wait, really?"

"Really," Quinn assured her with a convincing smile.

"I... umm..." Brittany hesitated in answering as she thought about everything that could possibly come with this scenario. As easygoing as Brittany was, even she had to admit that this was a little weird. Santana was still her ex... who she slept with... _many_ times... and Brittany was _sure_ that Quinn and Santana weren't just literally sleeping in the bed in the room that was located directly next to the room they were offering.

But, then again, they were offering it up so they must know what they're getting themselves into.

And Santana was right, hotels do suck.

"I would love to stay here. Thank you, thank you so much," Brittany smiled bright at her friends.

And then, from her corner of the kitchen, Rachel was heard from, "This should be interesting."

* * *

**A/N: Just a warning: I'm going on vacation soon, a week from tomorrow to be exact. I haven't decided if I'm bringing my lap top with me to write, but I definitely won't have internet access... unless I get really desperate and decide to pay for it. We'll see. It depends on how much I want to think while I'm on a gigantic boat headed for Bermuda. Anyways, let me know what you thought about this one! Your comments keep me motivated.**


	15. Three Years and Sixty Seven Days

November 2015, New York City  
The Right Places at the Wrong Times

Ever since the first day of her internship, Mondays had become Quinn's favorite day of the week. It was weird because, well, who the hell loves Mondays? Santana definitely didn't. She had tried _so_ hard in March when they were picking their classes for the Fall to avoid having to wake up before 9 AM Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Mondays were literally the only day of the week when she just _could not _get up. Unfortunately, she had a required Politics class that was only available at 10:10 AM. Needless to say, she was not happy. Quinn, however, lucked out and was able to register for classes that began after noon on MWF days. She still had to wake up at 7:30 to get to her internship by 9:30, but because of that, the 12:45 class and all the Tuesday/Thursday classes were lucky. All of that allowed her to have the Mondays that she loved so much.

Since classes began, their Monday mornings had been rather routine. Quinn would get up at 7:30 and hop in the shower. She'd be out of the bathroom just in time for Santana to get up at 8... 15... ish. No matter how many times Quinn told her that pressing snooze only made things worse, Santana continued to do it. So, at any five minute interval between 8 and 8:15 Santana would mozy her way into the bathroom and slide up behind Quinn while she brushed her teeth. They'd stand at the sink, smiling at each other through the mirror in a silent "good morning" as Santana rested her chin on Quinn's shoulder, then Santana would kiss the spot where her chin had been resting and turn to start her own shower.

While Santana showered, Quinn got dressed, got her things ready, then made herself some sort of breakfast and set up the Keurig for Santana, bringing her to about 8:45, when Santana got out of the bathroom. This is where they spoke to each other for the first time. Much more awake than before her shower, Santana would smile at her fully clothed girlfriend while she brushed her hair with her towel wrapped around her and smile, "Good morning, beautiful."

"Good morning, naked."

"You love it!"

"And I wish I could stay. I love you."

"I love you, too."

Then they'd say something about the rest of their day, say, "See you later," and kiss each other about five times because the first four just weren't enough.

Then at 8:55, Quinn was walking out the door and headed towards the Subway.

That's how their Mondays _should_ work out.

_This_ morning, someone was in the bathroom at 7:30.

Everything was wrong.

At 7:50, the bathroom door opened and a blonde that was not Quinn walked out. Too worried about being late _and_ making Santana late, Quinn didn't say anything and bolted into the bathroom.

"Good morn... ing," is what she heard as she slammed the door behind her and frantically turned the shower on and grabbed a towel. There was no time for chit chat with the _guest_ that just made her _really_ late. Her forty-five minutes in the bathroom just turned into twenty-five and that was only if Santana pressed snooze three times.

Who knows how long later, there's knocking at the door and a very groggy Santana asking what's going on. After getting out of the shower and wrapping a towel around herself, Quinn practically tripped to the door to let Santana in.

"Did you over sleep? You never over sleep on Mondays," Santana said, still groggy and wrapped her arms around Quinn while she brushed her teeth like she did every other morning.

"Uh uh," Quinn said as best she could with a mouth full of toothpaste.

"Then wha-" Santana started as Brittany walked to the doorway of the bathroom.

"Morning," a very awake Brittany said to them from the hallway.

"Uhh, morning, Brittany," Santana tensed up, but kept her arms around Quinn's waist.

"Goob morning," Quinn mumbled with her mouth still full of toothpaste. Then, remembering that she was late, she spit and rinsed quickly and wiggled her way out of Santana's arms so that she could get ready.

No silent "good morning."

Quinn rushed around hers and Santana's room, getting dressed and packing up her messenger bag. Then she saw what time it was: 8:37.

"Shit!"

She power walked her way to the kitchen where she found Brittany yet again.

'_We really should have told her about our mornings...'_

"I totally messed you guys up this morning didn't I?" Brittany looked quite guilty sitting at the island with a mug in front of her.

"It's okay, B," Quinn lied and grabbed an apple.

"No it's not. We should, like, talk about morning stuff and you know, other things," she said with half smile.

Quinn caught a glance at the time on the microwave: 8:58, _'Shit! How did that happen?'_ "Yeah, sure, Brittany! I have to go!"

"O-okay. Have a good day!"

Quinn jogged back down the hall and darted into her room, nearly knocking Santana over. "I'm sorry!" she said frantically as she threw her sweater on.

"It's okay, you're late. Me too!" Santana said digging through the dresser.

Quinn slung her messenger bag over her shoulder and walked towards Santana and the door, "We'll talk to her tonight."

"Okay," Santana said lightly shaking her head and then dropping her towel.

Completely forgetting that she was late, Quinn shamelessly stared at her gorgeous, perfect, actually naked girlfriend.

"Babe, you're gonna miss your train."

"Yeah... uh... after we talk to her, this," Quinn points between the towel on the floor and Santana, "is becoming part of our mornings."

"Only if you brush your teeth naked."

"Done."

"Now, get out of here," Santana kissed Quinn and then proceeded to clothe herself.

Quinn saw the time out of the corner of her eye: 9:06.

"Oh god! I _so_ have to go! I love you!" she turns out of the room and heads for the door.

"I love you, too!"

Four too few kisses good bye.

And she missed her train.

What. A. Mess.

She was sure to be at least fifteen minutes late... unless she took the A, but then she'd have to _run_ three blocks just to maybe catch a train that has only a few less stops on its way to 59th Street and she wasn't really wearing the correct "haul ass" shoes at the moment. Quinn decided that the 1 was her best option.

...} {...

Thirty-Eight Minutes After Leaving

Before she even had reception on her phone, Quinn had typed out a message to Ilona's assistant telling him that she was running late and she just got out of the Columbus Circle station. She jogged up the escalator, looking down at her phone for the instant she got reception back and hit send as soon as she saw the bars return. As her feet hit the pavement, she slipped her phone into her messenger bag and weaved her way through the rush of people. With perfect timing, she was able to cross two streets before she had to stop and wait for traffic. After that, she had to stop at the last two that brought her to her turn. Luckily, once she turned, she didn't have to go very far and within a few feet she had to turn again to push through the doors into her internship's building.

"Hi, Lisa!" Quinn huffed out as she rushed past the receptionist's desk and to the elevator that was miraculously already open. She pressed the 5, backed into the corner and finally took the time to breathe.

There was really nothing that Quinn despised more than being late. Even if Ilona wasn't going to be mad at her, she was still going to be mad at herself, despite the fact that she had literally no control over what had happened that morning.

The elevator doors opened on the fifth floor and within seconds she could see Ilona's assistant, Tyler's wave of black and bleach hair. When she got closer to his desk, he started laughing.

'_That can't be good.'_

"Girl, you should see your face right now," Tyler laughed with his stupid voice, "you're all like 'oh my god, I'm so late, Ilona's gonna kill me!' She's not, btw."

"I hate you so much right now," Quinn huffed as she passed by his desk. She continued directly to the cherry door that she loved passing through every Monday... except for this Monday..

"She isn't ma_aa_d..." Tyler taunted Quinn as she knocked on the door with the sign that read _Ilona Coppenger_.

"Come in!" the airy voice of her boss came through the door.

"I promise," Tyler whispered sweetly, with a hint of a lisp on the 's.'

"Thanks," Quinn whispered back and then turned the handle on the door, pushing it into the office, "I'm soo sorry that I'm late!"

"I have lived in this city for twenty-three years Quinn, I relied on the Subway for thirteen of them, trust me, I know how _un_reliable it can be sometimes," Ilona smiled and swatted the air with her hand.

"Yeah, that'd be a nice sentiment if it were the subway's fault for my lateness," Quinn huffed as she plopped her messenger bag into the left chair and then herself into the right one.

Ilona looked at Quinn from over her glasses with a slight squint and said, "You're always early. I'm guessing it had to be something pretty big to make you..." she leaned back a little in her giant chair to look at her huge iMac, "seventeen minutes late."

"You have no idea," Quinn said shaking her head and then resting her forehead into her fingertips.

"That's why we're here," Ilona shrugged and leaned back into her chair.

Of course, Quinn wanted to tell Ilona about her brand new living situation. If there was anything she needed right now, was someone to talk to that she didn't go to high school with. Even better, with the exception of seeing Rachel in her show, Ilona has never met _any_ of the people from her high school that just so happen to also live in the Big Apple. The question was: how the hell was she going to approach this?

"Umm... okay, right," she hesitated, still thinking about how she was going to start this, because, like Santana said multiple times the night before, this was really weird.

"Come on, Quinn, we've been meeting like this for two months now. Something happened this morning or last night... or sometime this weekend... whatever it was it's really affecting you and I can tell. I might not be a professional, but it's still kind of like free therapy and when have I not been interested what you have to tell me?" Ilona finished off by leaning onto her desk with her folded arms.

Quinn sighed as she realized that she was going to have just plow right through everything, starting with her parents, "Well, to start my weekend, Russell and Judy Fabray visited."

"Oh my goodness," Ilona said in the phony British dialect that she threw on whenever she got overly excited about something, "How did that go?"

"Actually," Quinn smiled, "really well. They completely bought the fake bedroom and Russell approved of the apartment. Santana was... she was amazing! She cooked for us all and proved to be a 'really great influence,'" Quinn quoted Russell in her best impression of him. "Then on Sunday, we took Judy around Midtown, chatted for a while in Rockefeller Center, fed her some banana pudding and then went home," Quinn shrugged when she remembered the conversation she and Santana had between coming home and the moment they got a third roommate, "Then Santana said that I should tell my mother about us. _I_ think that's ridiculous, but she really seems to think that it wouldn't be such a bad idea."

"Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea," Ilona shrugged back, taking off her glasses to clean them, "I mean, after you had Beth, she apologized for not sticking by you, didn't she? Perhaps she's learned from her past mistakes, especially now that she's out from underneath your father."

"Have you been taking notes on everything I've told you?" Quinn lifted herself up slightly to look onto Ilona's big glass desk for notepads of her own life story. There was nothing.

"No. I told you, Quinn, you're interesting, so I remember everything."

Then the next part of the story was going to be _really_ interesting, "Do you remember everything I told you about the 'Unholy Trinity?'" she asked with her eyebrow quirked.

"Of course I do! That's where you started your story. You, Santana, and Brittany," Ilona stated as many facts as she could in is little time as possible.

"Exactly. Well, as you also know, Santana and Brittany were in love and inseparable, until of course, they weren't either of those things," Quinn said as if she were writing it into a creative writing piece.

"Brittany broke Santana's heart when she told her she couldn't marry her and she had to go home to finish school. Oh, it's both heartbreaking and understandable," the editor-in-chief said looking up the ceiling all forlorn and whatnot.

"And they never spoke to each other again," Quinn reminded her audience.

"Santana didn't even know where Brittany was until you told her two years later, which is where _your_ romance _re_started," Ilona said to Quinn as she popped her eyebrows up twice in that insinuating way that no one likes to be the victim of.

"Okay, first of all," Quinn interrupted her own flow, "there was never a 'romance' between Santana and me in high school. There was just that _one_ time... okay and the drunk kiss, but other than that there was nothing. We didn't even trust each other most of the time!"

"Defensive much, Miss Fabray?"

"Hey, I'm not denying that I had feelings for her, but there was definitely never anything going on. She was way too into Brittany to ever notice anyone else," Quinn clarified.

"Okay, fine, back to whatever it is you're trying to get to. They haven't spoken for three years..."

"Three years and sixty-seven days as of yesterday," Quinn said, rattling the number off easily. Santana counted last night.

"So, three years and sixty-eight days as of right now," Ilona rattled back.

Half of Quinn's face scrunched up as she thought about the best way to phrase the bomb that she'd been preparing to drop for the last fifteen minutes of this conversation. Then, it hit her, "The count ended when a certain blonde dancer buzzed up to our apartment last night."

"No," the woman who hung on Quinn's every word in the past said incredulously, "I actually don't believe you."

"Trust me, I wouldn't make this up."

"You're going to tell me that she's living with you, too, aren't you?" Ilona said in tone that was clearly joking. Her smile faded away as Quinn slowly nodded, "And you're okay with that?"

"I'm not okay with my friend staying in a hotel when we have a perfectly good, furnished room that she can stay in while she looks for her own place. She's been living in Los Angeles for two years, we felt bad," Quinn defended the decision that she and Santana had made fourteen hours prior.

"I just... it's her ex! And you are one hundred percent okay with her just moving herself in?" Ilona asked making her disbelief of the entire situation known.

"I'll admit that I wasn't at first..." Quinn huffed at the realization that she was going to have to tell another story just to get to the reason why she wasn't entirely okay with it for that brief moment, "a couple of months ago, I accidentally found this... video on Santana's computer. I watched it, she caught me and got all mad, I didn't think it was a big deal which made her more mad, there was some name calling, then the silent treatment, our best friends knocked some sense into us and then we talked about it like adults, because we are adults," _'who do adult things after they fight and make up.'_ That last thought was not leaving her head.

"I'm going to guess this was a... compromising video, with 'adult' things in it," Ilona asked with air quotes wrapping around the word adult.

"Right. Well, I never really found out why she _still_ had it so I asked her last night while we were talking about it and she said that she forgot it existed-"

"And you believed her?"

"Why shouldn't I? I trust her. And Brittany said she wasn't here to woo Santana, which I also believe. Brittany's never been anything but genuine. She might not be the brightest, but she's genuine," Quinn said with complete confidence. If she was convinced of anything it was those two things and she'd be damned if Ilona wasn't going to be convinced of them too by the time she left for her first class.

"Have you ever considered writing?" Ilona asked out of nowhere.

"Uh, yeah, for approximately two seconds when I was in the process of transferring to NYU," Quinn basically scoffed at the question.

"Right, your Shakespeare professor helped you get into the Journalism program," Quinn felt herself blush at the mention of Allyson... perhaps she left out the part where she was sleeping with her. Maybe later... "You should write a book... or three," Ilona states with completely serious look on her face.

"I'm sorry... what?" Quinn's confusion displayed on her face quite overtly.

"The world is seriously lacking in LGBT literature, especially in the young adult category. The story that you've been telling me for the last two months would be a perfect young adult LGBT series," the editor-in-chief laid out her point for Quinn to grab onto. Before Quinn could get anything out, Ilona continued, "Clearly your story features mostly the L and B part of the acronym, but all the better, bisexual youth are far too underrepresented in the literary world."

"I... umm..."

"Don't tell me that you aren't a writer. You got into the Journalism program at NYU, Quinn, you're a writer."

"No one wants to read about me," Quinn said, shaking her head and looking down to the floor.

"I've been absolutely captivated by everything you've ever told me about your life, people would love to read about you," Ilona says with passion.

"Telling a story and writing it are two completely different things," Quinn answered grasping for something to get her out of this.

"Are they?"

"There's no way that my writing could possibly do justice to the things that have happened in my life," she tries to deflect again with self-deprecation, this time.

"That's what editors are for," Ilona winks.

"But-"

"Quinn, I'm not saying you should go home and start writing a manuscript today; I'm saying that you should seriously consider it," Ilona had her eyes trained on Quinn as she spoke and held them there until she responded.

Without any other option, Quinn answered, "Okay," with a slight shrug.

"Perfect! In the meantime, I want to meet Santana. You just say so many wonderful things about the girl, she seems too good to even remotely be real," Ilona said with her airy voice and a hint of that British accent.

"Okay," Quinn laughed.

"Dinner one night, completely on me, okay?"

"Sure. It can't be this week. We both have some midterms _and_ the LSATs are this Saturday," Quinn said, actually reminding herself that she had a midterm the next day.

"That's fine, just let Miss Too Amazing To Be Real know about it and get back to me on Monday."

"Sure," Quinn smiled.

"Okay, I believe you have a class at 12:45 and probably need to eat something because your new roommate made you late this morning. I'm guessing she was in the bathroom when you needed to be. That's the worst... amongst other things that we all claim to be the worst," Quinn laughed at Ilona's correct guess and her life observance, "Same time, same place, next week?"

"Of course," Quinn answered and got up from her seat. She swung her messenger over her shoulder and when she made it to the door she turned around to say, "Thanks for listening."

"It's _always_ a pleasure, Quinn," Ilona responded through a smile.

After smiling back, Quinn opened the door and exited the office. As soon as the door was closed behind her, she dug out her phone and selected the "Messages" icon in the bottom corner of her screen. She tapped the first one in the list and typed out a text:

**Ilona thinks that I've made you out to be too good to be true and now she wants... needs to meet you.**

After hitting the send button, she thought of something else:

**How did the rest of your morning go? You weren't too late were you?**

Hopefully, it was fine and she wasn't.


	16. No Coffee

November 2015, New York City  
Uhh... Somewhere Near _Gender in Law_?

There's been no coffee...

There would have been coffee if Brittany hadn't messed up the morning. Monday's are so terrible to begin with that there has to be a routine in order for them start off properly... with coffee. Quinn makes Santana's coffee for her every morning, except for this one because she was probably too busy trying not to be excruciatingly late.

It wasn't just the coffee that was missed in the routine, it was pretty much everything. First, because Quinn was still in the shower when her 8:15 snooze went off, Santana stayed in bed... terrible idea. That made her want to get out of bed even less, until she realized that it was 8:25 and Quinn wasn't out of the shower yet. Clearly something was wrong. It was even more obvious when Quinn opened the door completely frazzled.

Then, there was Brittany.

Of course.

Her arrival in the hallway completely disturbed the "good morning" that should have happened. After Quinn scooted out of her arms, Santana then had to cut her shower short and race around to get ready to leave.

That's when the best and then the worst things happened. First, because she was rushing, she didn't wait for Quinn to leave the room when she dropped her towel. No lie, Quinn just stopped. Santana was pretty sure she forgot she was even late. As a result of Santana's impromptu nakedness, she now gets to experience Quinn brushing her teeth en el desnudo. Mondays just got amazing.

For a second.

In merely her underwear, Santana went back to her drawer to find a pair of Slo-Pez jeans. Today was _not_ a high fashion day, but since she was morally against wearing sweatpants in public, a pair of baggy boot cuts were going to have to cut it. She found her favorite pair and hopped into them. After buttoning and zipping the fly, she looked up and caught a pair blue eyes.

The words 'what the fuck?' popped into her head but never made it out of her mouth. Instead, the completely topless Santana just stood there with her hands still at her fly and her mouth half open in shock.

"Shit," Brittany mumbled and shook her head, averting her eyes to the floor, "I'm sorry... I uhh... habit. What's the saying? They um... die hard?"

Finally able to get her limbs to move, Santana crossed her arms over her chest and turned to her closet.

"I really am sorry, Santana!"

"I know, Brittany... I just... this isn't something I expected to happen this early on in your residence here," Santana stuttered as she eyed everything in her closet, looking for something that would cover her up completely. She yanked her purple NYU hoodie off of the hanger and then onto her body as soon as she spotted it.

"Well, it's not like it's something I've never seen before," Brittany chuckled a little as Santana turned back around.

'No she didn't,' Santana thought to herself as she picked up her five-subject notebook and tossed it into her back pack.

"Brittany, I really have to get ready, I can't be late for class," Santana decided to say instead of picking a pointless, time consuming fight.

"Right... I have to get ready, too. I have my first rehearsal today," the blonde smiled but didn't move.

Santana smiled and then looked back into her back pack to make sure that everything she needed was inside of, "That's really awesome. Good luck."

"Thanks... um... have a great day, Santana. See you later," Brittany said and then walked forward to the spare... her bedroom.

Santana sighed and then as fast as she could, dropped her bag, dug out a bra and a white t-shirt from her dresser, popped her sweatshirt off, put on the bra and white t-shirt and threw her sweatshirt back on. She picked her bag back up and slung one strap over her shoulder, then raced out to the hallway to the kitchen.

No coffee.

And no time to make some.

Begrudgingly, Santana left the kitchen and proceeded to the door so that she wouldn't be late for her _Gender in Law_ class. As her right hand grabbed the door knob, her left grabbed her keys from the hook next to the door. At that second it hit her that Brittany needed keys and she needed to remember where the spare set was.

'Uuuuhhhh...'

"Britt, there's a spare set of keys in the cabinet with all of the cups! Gotta go! See you later! Have a good rehearsal!" Santana yelled quickly so hoping that Brittany at least heard the first part through the door.

Santana was out the door and was inches from closing when she heard a confirming, "Thanks," come from behind the closed door.

She left with _just_ enough to make it to her class, allowing her to walk in seconds before her professor started lecturing.

Not that she had any idea what was going on in it. She was too busy thinking about her morning... for the entire fifty-five minutes that the class lasted. Actually, she barely even noticed when the class was over.

"Hey, Santana?" her friend Berto nudged her, "are you okay? You didn't take any notes. Dude you always take notes... the best notes. I'm actually a little worried for both of us right now."

"What?" Santana shook her head a little and focused on the face that the sound had just come out of.

"Class is over, bro," Berto shrugged and swiveled out of his chair, "and that page is _blank_."

"Fuck," Santana mumbled when she realized what Berto was saying. She'd gotten so far as to open her notebook and take the cap off her pen, but that's where all of her efforts stopped.

"Are you okay? You're wearing Slo-Pez pants... the comfy, baggy, Slo-Pez pants," Berto asked as Santana got her things together and got up from her chair.

"Yeah, B, I'm fine," she shrugged him off and walked to the aisle to leave the classroom.

"Hey, yo, wait up!"

"I need coffee and I'll be fine," Santana didn't turn, she just kept walking and hoped that her answer was actually true.

Berto caught up to her before she even got to the bottom step of the lecture hall's aisle, "I'll come with you."

"Okay," Santana yawned, hoping to get her point across a little further. "So, how's Georgia?" she asked diverting attention away from herself.

"Stressed. Out. Med school's a bitch," Berto exclaimed as they pushed through the door way that was large enough for both the broad shouldered, ex-football player and Santana to fit though at once.

Getting her "bro" on for a minute, Santana joked, "Nothing you can't help with, though, I'm sure."

"Man, I wish," Berto shook his head and then lowered his voice as the descended the stairs, "Dude, I've even tried all that stuff _you_ told me to do. That shit was the _best_ before med school, now I don't think it's enough."

"She's just getting used to everything," Santana tried to reassure him, "watch, she'll be good again after her break."

"I hope so. It sucks seeing her so stressed and not being able to help. I mean, she knows I have all my shit with the LSAT and law school and stuff, but I still feel bad," he shrugged and held the door open for Santana to walk out of the building.

"I know."

"How's your studying going?"

That's when it hit her. She _barely_ studied this weekend.

Why?

Because of a surprise guest, that's why.

She only studied a little bit on Saturday when Quinn went out with her parents because she figured she'd be able to study all night Sunday.

If only she had known how wrong she was.

The last forty-eight hours of her life came crashing down on her like a piano delivery gone wrong.

"Uhh... Santana?"

She could hear Berto, but a response wasn't coming.

"Come on," he wrapped his gigantic arm around her shoulders and started guiding her, "no coffee, we're going to the park."

"Okay," Santana replied simply and allowed Berto to walk her to Washington Square Park.

They continued walking to the park in silence until there were inside of it and under a tree. Berto pulled out a _New York Times_ from his bag and handed Santana half of it to sit on, still in silence.

It wasn't until they were completely settled that he said something, "The parent visit didn't go well did it?"

Santana laughed a little and shook her head, "No, actually that went really well."

"Okay...?"

"Yeah, I made lunch for everyone on Saturday and made a really great impression on the Fabrays. I guess her dad couldn't stop talking about how great my food was, even if he had no idea what quinoa is," she chuckled a little and then reminded herself of her moment with Judy. She pinched the bridge of her nose remembering every awkward minute that she was left alone with her. "Sunday, we took Judy, Quinn's mom, around Midtown. She really wanted to see the tree even though it's got all that scaffolding on it, so we took her to Rock Center. Of course Quinn had to go to the bathroom and left us alone..."

Berto's bottom lip curled down a little, revealing his bottom teeth, while his eyebrows furrowed down a little all in a 'wow that's awkward' face.

"Yeah, tell me about it," Santana sighed and then rolled her eyes, "she totally knew... about Quinn and me."

"Wait! She just, like, flat out asked you about it? Whoa! I totally get where Quinn's balls come from now," Berto's face lit up as pieced together Quinn's genetic make-up.

"Yeah, they didn't come from Russell..."

"So she knows? And she's cool with it?"

"Uh huh, but Quinn doesn't know that she knows and it's going to stay that way until she decides it's time to tell her mother about us," Santana said, making sure that this was completely clear.

"Hey, bros before hos," the instant it came out of Berto's mouth Santana gagged.

"Don't you dare call our ladies hos!"

"It's a saying..."

"Anyways... she gave me the whole, 'you hurt my daughter, I'll hurt you' thing and then, in all of my nervous girlfriend glory, I just let it slip out that I want to marry her daughter," Santana rolled her eyes at herself and then let her face fall into her palms.

"You what? Dude! That's crazy!"

"I know."

"What did she say?"

Santana laughed thinking about how Berto was going to react to this one, "She wants to see the ring before I buy it."

"Yeah!" Berto pretty much yelled and held his hand out. Santana obliged and partook in the the absurd handshake that they'd made up two years before, "She totally gave you permission to marry her daughter! That's fucking bomb!"

"Are you going to talk like that when you get into law school?"

"Shut up. You love me," Berto said crossing his arms and nodding his head up.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah."

"Wait a second, everything you've told me so far has been good stuff... why were just all on the verge of a break down?" Berto questioned, "Something _else_ happened?"

Santana looked back down to the ground and started picking at the grass again. Of course she wanted to tell Berto about Brittany and the brand new living situation. Of all the people in her life, he's the one she wanted to talk to about it the most. What Santana liked most about Berto, was that she didn't go to high school with him. Yes, he was a lot like Puck, but he was _way_ more intelligent (despite the way that he spoke) and he didn't grow up in a small town. Berto hailed from Philly; the actual city and not some town close to it New Jersey like all those other punks that say they're "from Philly." Really, it was great that she had a friend that didn't know her before she came here. So, Berto has always known Santana as his really awesome friend who happens to be a girl that he could check out other girls with and could borrow class notes from. Berto was totally Santana's lezbro.

"Well, since you aren't a _complete_ wreck, I'm guessing things with Quinn are just fine. That leaves Rachel... you didn't get into a fight with Rachel? I can't even imagine that would be any good at all. I just picture her dramatically storming out of a room," Berto said waving his arms a little, probably pointing to the door Rachel just walked out of in his head.

"While, you're absolutely right about how a fight with Rachel goes, it wasn't Rachel," Santana sighed and went back to the grass.

"Oh my god! Then what was it?" Berto asked impatiently.

After picking a few more blades out of the ground, Santana sighed again and without looking up answered, "Brittany showed up last night..."

"Brittany?"

"Yup," she looked up to see a stunned Berto.

"_The _Brittany?"

'Why is everyone reacting the _exact_ same way'

"Yes, _the_ Brittany."

"She just showed up? No warning?" Berto asked, still stunned.

"Well, she kind of had to approach it that way," Santana said, agreeing with her blonde ex that it really was the best tactic for getting into the apartment, "she knew I wouldn't just let her stand out there."

"Where is she now?"

"That's what you want to know? Where she is now? You don't want to know how my first encounter with her in three years went? You don't want to know how Quinn handled it? You want to know something I can't tell you because I'm not with her right now?" Santana asked incredulously. Seriously, that's the first thing he thought of?

"Well, yeah," he shrugged simply.

Santana smacked her forehead and briefly contemplated taking back all of the great things she had just thought about him, "I don't know, she's either still at the apartment or at rehearsal for her dance company. That's why she's here, by the way, in case maybe you were wondering that."

"So, she stayed at your place last night? See, I knew that question would get me somewhere," Berto said quirking up his eyebrows and nodding his head.

"Yeah..." Santana rolled her eyes at her friend, "and she will be staying there until she finds her own place."

"Ho-ly shit! Your super hot ex is going to be _living_ in the same apartment as you and your super hot girlfriend? This is some crazy ass weird shit," Berto called it like he saw it.

"Yeah I know," Santana found herself looking at her friends the blades of grass again, "and this morning she fucked up everything. She was in the shower when Quinn supposed to be and it threw everything off."

"Well, that explains the Slo-Pez pants and the hoodie-"

"And the lack of coffee. Quinn didn't have time to make it and neither did I."

For about two seconds she contemplated telling him that Brittany had seen her topless, but despite the fact that he was _usually_ quite respectful of the things she told him about her sex life (not that this had anything to do with that) she decided against it. While it added to the mess that was this morning, she didn't need to discuss it quite yet. She'd rather tell Quinn about it first.

"You guys are going to talk to her, right?" Berto asked, clearly concerned for both Santana and Quinn's Monday morning well-being.

"Yeah, tonight."

"And I get to meet Brittany, right?"

Santana's head snapped up from the grass, not expecting that to follow his last question.

"Come on! I have to meet her! She's like, a mythical creature or something. I've only heard all of these stories about her. I _need_ to meet her!" he begged.

"God! Fine, you can meet her..."

"Soon?" he asked with excitement in his eyes.

"Not tonight, if that's what you're asking. She just got here! Jeez, let her settle for second-"

"What are you doing Friday night?" Berto jumped onto her sentence.

"Not working. Thank god I found a replacement! I need to study... and get to bed before 5AM," she sighed out her relief, remembering that she had that time get her last minute prep in.

"Let's study together-"

"No way! I need to be by myself Friday night... well, of course I won't actually be by myself, but... whatever, I can't. No," she rejected his suggestion instantly and honestly.

"Come on!"

"No! I'm serious! I need to be with my own head the night before a test," Santana said holding up her hands and shaking her head.

"Ugh! Fine!" Berto replied, clearly disappointed.

"Maybe I can get her to come to the club next Friday," Santana sighed in acquiescence.

"Yeeesss!"

"Do not make me regret letting you meet her!" Santana warned in the most threatening tone she could muster.

"Oh please."

As Santana rolled her eyes at her friend, she felt her phone buzz in her pocket. It was noon, which meant a text from Quinn.

**Ilona thinks that I've made you out to be too good to be true and now she wants... needs to meet you.**

As she was reading that, a second message zipped in:

**How did the rest of your morning go? You weren't too late were you?**

"I always know when you get a text from Quinn," Berto's voice comes in.

"Yeah? How?" she asks as she begins to type a message in reply.

"You always smile. But it's like, this cheesy, special smile that only shows up when Quinn is involved. Not gonna lie, bro, it's mad cute," Berto laughs a little and throws on a super huge smile.

"Aww, no wonder why Georgia sticks around, you're so romantic," Santana smiled, looking up from phone.

"Nah! It's my crazy bedroom skills, bro!" he did that head nod thing again and did this stupid hand motion that looked more like 'I surrender' than anything else.

"All those crazy bedroom skills that _I _told you use?" Santana responded putting Berto in his place.

"Shut up and text your girlfriend."

Santana laughed as she went back to her phone:

**Great! You know I've been dying to meet her, excited phony British accent and all. I wasn't late at all, actually and... I'll tell you later... See you in our one class together! Love you!**

She answered Quinn's queries out of order because that was really the best way to do it. Really, she had every intention of telling Quinn about the "incident," she just didn't think that a text message would be the appropriate forum.

After she hit send, she placed her phone back in her pocket and then got up off of the ground, "I need coffee, now!"

"Are you okay now?" Berto asked genuinely looking up at her.

"Yeah, thanks. I needed that," she smiled back and proceeded to fold up the section of the _New York Times_ she'd been sitting on.

"Anytime," Berto responded after he had gotten up.

"No, really," she stopped him from bending down to pick up his part of the newspaper, "You're a really great friend, B."

He smiled at her, putting his hand on her shoulder, "I know you'd do the same for me."

Berto was absolutely correct, she would.

* * *

**A/N: So, I updated with two chapters mostly because I feel bad. Why do I feel bad you ask? Well, it's because I decided that my trusty MacBook Pro will not be going to Bermuda with me. It's too trusty to lose it. While I will be taking my notebooks with me, I won't be able to actually write anything. Hope you enjoyed these two installments!**


	17. Segues

November 2015, New York City  
A Tunnel Going Up

As Brittany sat on the screechy, bumpy C train on her way uptown, she tried her best to clear her head of the morning she had endured. She sat at the end of the long, light blue seat, leaning up against the metal railing and hugging her little duffle bag in her lap for comfort, not out of paranoia. No matter how hard she tried she couldn't shake the notion that within the first 24 hours of the second chance she never thought she'd receive, she'd already completely blown it.

'_Well, it's not like it's something I've never seen before.'_

For the last three years, she had worked painstakingly hard on building the functionality of her filter. All the work had paid off for the most part. Now, she ran things by herself briefly before she let them out. Her self-censoring probably still wasn't up to the FCC's complicated requirements, but she was still pretty proud of what she'd accomplished. People stopped looking at her like she had twelve heads whenever she spoke, which was really all she had wanted.

Why was it that a mere moment with Santana completely erased everything that she had worked so hard to fix? It was as if Santana's breasts had completely hypnotized her, saying that when she snapped out of it, her filter would be completely gone.

The only issue with that theory, was that she really didn't _feel_ anything when saw them.

Perhaps it was really just the embarrassment of the situation that had gotten the best of her. She really hadn't meant to see Santana like that.

_Or_ maybe it was what she _was_ wearing that had thrown Brittany off. When she passed Santana's room, she hadn't even intended on looking into it. Her plan was to walk past and go right into her own. But alas, as she passed the doorway, out of the corner of her eye she saw an unusually baggy pair of dark wash jeans. She had to stop and make sure that she was really seeing what she was really seeing. Sure enough, there they were: a pair of men's jeans sitting just below Santana's hips and the black and neon green waistband of a pair of men's underwear.

Despite always being open with her sexuality and going to an extremely liberal school on the West Coast, she had never seen anything like it. The dichotomy of Santana's masculinely clothed lower half and her clearly feminine torso was one of the most amazing things Brittany ever seen. It was... sexy. It wasn't sexy in that Brittany wanted jump Santana's bones, because she didn't. It was sexy in that Brittany could see the _real_ Santana; comfortable enough in herself that she could wear whatever she wanted and do whatever she wanted. She had finally found herself and _that_ is what had hypnotized Brittany's filter away.

At that realization, she finally tuned back into the world outside of her own mind. She heard the brakes of the train squealing and she looked up to the red LED letters hanging from the ceiling.

**59th St / Columbus Circle**

Somehow, she had been lost in her thoughts for literally her entire time on the train. By some crazy miracle, she broke out of her head just in time to catch her stop. Perhaps the day was looking up.

In that moment, her reason for being on this train in the first place hit her. She was going to her first rehearsal. She was going to her first rehearsal at one of the most famous dance studios in the entire world. The girl from Lima, Ohio who had to repeat her senior year and was at one point told that she would do better if she didn't even show up to class, was on her way up and there was no ceiling in sight to stop her.

Brittany practically Olympic power walked her way down four blocks to 55th St and continued that pace all the way over from 8th to 9th Ave. Before she even got to the intersection she could see the windows of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater staring back at her. With every step she took she could feel her stomach swelling with butterflies of both nerves and excitement. She crossed the street and made her way to the doors where she walked right in, unable to wait any longer to get into this atmosphere that she had longed for for as long as she could remember.

Being here was different than being at CalArts. At school she always felt the need to prove herself and live up to the standards of _all_ of her professors. While she often did as such, she still felt restrained and unable to grow the way that she wanted to as a dancer. Here, at Alvin Ailey, she had to live up to her own standards because now, she was a professional.

Today's trip to Ailey Studios was actually her second in her life. Her first time here, she had begged Santana for an entire night until she gave in and agreed that they could visit. She was positive that her face looked exactly the same as it did the first time as it does now: beyond happy. What was different about this trip, was that she had a directions written on her hand telling her where to go for rehearsal:

**6th Floor  
****Double doors straight ahead.  
****Changing rooms left.**

She knew that it was silly to still write notes on her hand but it was the best way to remember it all and she didn't want to be late because she couldn't find the rehearsal studio.

As soon as the elevator dinged open on the 6th floor, she walked out and turned left to change into her sweats. The email that she had gotten on Friday told her dress as if she were going to a hip hop class. It also told her that she'd be working with a choreographer named Jackson Campbell and that there would be another dancer, named Dez Anthony, who was joining the company a little late.

Once she was satisfied that the string in her sweatpants was tight enough, her right pant leg was rolled up properly and her jazz sneakers were tied right, she made her way back into the hallway that contained the double doors that lead into the studio. She was sure that she was still early, but she could hear music coming from the studio. Before she pushed through the doors, she took a breath to calm her excited nerves.

Brittany couldn't believe what she was seeing. Not only was she in the biggest dance studio she'd ever seen, but it was the most beautiful. Half of the walls weren't even walls, they were windows. She looked to the middle of the room and watched... no, stared as a man that looked to be about her height, with very dark skin executed beautiful combinations of contemporary and hip hop steps to the mash-up that was blasting through the speakers.

The instant he spotted Brittany, he stopped dancing and Brittany's heart sank with disappointment, "Oh my god, please don't stop. That was beautiful."

He was wearing gym shorts and a loose fitting tank top, but Brittany could still tell that he had a classic dancer's build. As he approached her with his big and bright smile, it became even clearer, "Brittany?"

"That's me," she said walking further into the studio.

"Jackson," he said holding out his hand. His smile grew impossibly bigger and through surprising excitement he said, "I am _so_ excited that you're in this company. I watched so many videos of you on YouTube. You're amazing!"

Brittany was positive that her jaw was on the floor. This was not something she was expecting, "Wait, seriously?"

"Yes! Oh my god! You are perfect for everything that I've been choreographing," he answered with his continuing excitement.

'Wow.'

"Hey! Sorry I'm late! The B was all wonky," Brittany heard a voice from behind her.

"Hey, Dez!" Jackson called out and looked towards the door.

Brittany turned around to see the source of the voice. She found a girl with long, curly hair and toffee (the best word that Brittany had in her arsenal) colored skin. The girl was shorter than Brittany but looked to be about her age. Her rehearsal clothes were almost the exactly same as Brittany's, the only difference between them were the colors.

"You must be Brittany!" she said after she dropped her bag in the corner and lightly jogged towards Brittany and Jackson.

For a moment, Brittany wondered how she could possibly have known her name, but then she remembered that she already knew that the other dancer in this rehearsal was named Dez because of an email. Clearly, Dez had gotten a similar email.

"Yeah! It's nice to meet you," Brittany beamed as she shook Dez's hand. Up close she noticed that she had light green eyes that actually looked a lot like Quinn's. Paired with her skin tone however, they looked completely different.

"Okay guys, we have _a lot_ to get done today since you two are playing catch up, so we should probably get started soon," Jackson's deep voice broke into the moment.

"Yeah sure!"

"Fine by me," Dez answered.

"Stretched and ready in ten?" their choreographer asked.

"Definitely!"

"Uh huh!"

...{ }...

Five Hours Later...

"There's so much choreography in my head," Dez exclaimed as she slid down the mirror and plopped down on the floor next to her bag.

"That isn't even everything," Jackson replied and then took a gigantic swig of water from his purple bottle, "I'm still looking for another mash-up to choreograph to. I just can't find the right one."

"Not enough Motown/Gangsta Rap mash-ups out there?" Dez chided from her spot against the wall.

"No, surprisingly," Jackson played along and walked over to the stereo system to retrieve all of his things.

"I'm sure you'll find something," Brittany assured her choreographer. She finished up her last stretch and walked over to the mirror where she had placed her bag. Sitting down, she fished out her water bottle which had somehow managed to make its way to the bottom of her bag.

"I hope so," Jackson shrugged, then he threw his bag over his shoulder, "Great job today guys. You're both really perfect for all of this." He began walking towards the door and when he got to it he said, "I have to head out, but you can both stay here as long as you want, just shut the lights off when you go."

"Thanks Jackson!" Brittany beamed at him as she untied her sneakers.

"Yeah, thanks J," Dez replied using a nickname she'd been using the entire rehearsal.

Once Jackson was out of the studio, Brittany let her curiosity fly free for a moment, "Did you know Jackson before this?"

"Huh?" Dez looked up from her bag that was feverishly digging through, "Oh yeah. Sorry. He was a TA in two of my classes. When I first started here, he was just getting done."

"Oh, so you go here?" Brittany asked with a big smile because at this time next year, she would also be going here.

"Yeah, this is my third year. I'm going to finish out this semester and then I have to 'take a semester off' because I can't really attend classes at Fordham and here while I'm in like, Colorado or something," she laughed and then got up, taking her bag up with her, "You're here from CalArts, right?"

"Yeah... did the email tell you that, too?" Brittany asked, a little taken aback by the fact that Dez knew where she had come from.

Dez laughed a little and then replied, "Jackson told me the other day. He was so excited."

"I know. I'm really flattered, but I'm not gonna lie, it's a little weird," Brittany shrugged and followed Dez out of the studio, towards the changing rooms.

Dez looked back as she got to the changing room doors and laughed again, "I think it's because they made all these exceptions for you to be here. You're really good and just so you know ahead of time, the other dancers might hate you a little," she shrugged and then entered a changing stall.

"Wait, what?" Brittany asked, standing dumbfounded outside of the stall that Dez had just entered, "I didn't do anything to them."

"Of course you didn't," Dez said from the stall, "Neither did I, but I'm sure they aren't going to be too keen about me either." Brittany couldn't believe what she was hearing, but she knew that she'd still be able to hear it all from the next stall over as she changed into her street clothes. She just could not comprehend how a bunch of people could hate her without even knowing her yet.

"Look," Dez continued, "I'm not saying it's fair or anything but it's going to happen. It took all of them four years to get into this company and here we come waltzing into it two and three years into our programs."

"Great, more tension in my life," Brittany mumbled as she exited her stall.

"Hey, you wanna grab a drink or something?" Dez asked. She had changed into loose fitting jeans, high tops and a bright green zip up hoodie.

"It's Monday," Brittany stated through a slight laugh.

"I know," Dez shook her head a little, "For some reason in my head, I figured you'd judge me less if I suggested that instead of fries, which is really what I want, by the way."

Brittany's jaw dropped in excitement, "Oh my god, yes please! I'm starving and honestly, I would choose french fries over a drink always!"

"Excellent! I'm taking you to Pommes Frites in the East Village. Uh. So. Good," Dez rolled her eyes up to express how amazing she thought the fries were at this place.

"Lead the way," Brittany said gesturing towards the door.

In order to get to this place that Dez claimed made the best fries in the city, they had to take the N and stay on it for seven stops. For most of the time that they were on the train, they chatted about their different dance programs. Brittany wanted to avoid talking about the possibility that she and her new friend were going to be hated by people that didn't even know them. It lasted until they were about two stops away from their own.

There was a small, unawkward lull in their conversation and just when Brittany was about to ask Dez about her name, Dez jumped in first, "You know, we deserve to be in this company. We might not have 'paid our dues' the way that they think we should have, but we have."

"I know," Brittany agreed sullenly, "That's why it sucks so much."

Dez breathed out a tiny laugh, "True that!"

"Whatever, at least we'll be hated together," Brittany shrugged and then smiled at Dez.

"True that, too!" Dez smiled back.

Hoping to change the subject, Brittany resorted to the question that she'd originally wanted to ask since Dez walked into the dance studio, "So, is Dez short for something?"

Dez laughed yet again and through a lingering smile, "Segues aren't really your thing are they?"

"I always hate it when people don't just ask what they want to know, so I just let my questions fall out most of the time," Brittany shrugged. She might have revamped her filter but she never dulled down her curiosity.

"I think everyone else hates when others beat around the bush, too. Your way of going about things is refreshing. Next stop," she said as the doors opened and closed at Union Square.

"Okay."

"Dez is short for Desdemona," she said with slight disdain in her voice.

'Why does that sound so familiar?'

"My parents met at Brown in an Intro to Shakespeare class," she said as she got up from the seat and grabbed onto the pole that was directly in front of them, "My brothers and I were doomed before we were even born. My big brother's name is Sebastian and my little brother's name is Demetrius." She rolled her eyes and sighed, "If I didn't love my parents so much I'd probably legally change my name, but alas, having what I consider to be the best parents on the planet is a fair trade for a slightly embarrassing government name."

Brittany couldn't help but laugh at Dez. She really enjoyed the way that Dez spoke. It wasn't often that you hear the word "alas."

As she felt the train begin to slow, Brittany got up to join Dez in readying themselves to exit. When the train stopped and the doors slid open, Brittany noticed for the first time the name of this station:

**NYU / 8th St**

"My roommates go here!" she exclaimed as she made the connection.

"NYU?"

"Yeah, they're seniors. Santana is a... umm... Politics major and Quinn's an English major," Brittany rattled off the facts she'd learned the night before while the three of them removed some of the stuff from "Quinn's room." Quinn insisted that they clear it out a little _and _change the sheets on the bed.

"Boys or girls?" Dez asked simply as they reached the top of the stairs and turned onto the sidewalk.

"Umm... they're girls..." Brittany answered with all of her confusion.

"Well they kind of have unisex names. I'm not saying it's weird or anything. I mean, a lot of people think that I'm a guy until they meet me," Dez shrugged as she explained her question.

"Oh, yeah, I guess you're right," Brittany agreed, "I guess I've just known them for so long I never really thought about it."

"How long have you known them? This way," she leaned into Brittany and nudged her to the right.

"Well, Quinn moved to Lima during our Freshman year of high school and I've known Santana for like ever," Brittany shrugged and tried as hard as she could to not let every emotion tied to Santana boil their way up to the surface.

"Lima...?"

"Ohio."

"No fucking way!" Dez stopped walking and gaped at Brittany.

"Umm... yeah..." Brittany responded unsure of how to actually handle Dez's reaction, "There are actually five of us out here. Santana, Rachel and Kurt have been here since they graduated and Quinn moved here last year. And now I'm here, too."

"Okay, let's get our fries and then you are going to tell me all about these people that escaped the Midwest over in that little park over there," Dez said gestured across the street as she finally started walking again and led Brittany into the little space that was Pommes Frites.

Ten minutes later with their cones of Belgian fries and cups of dipping sauces in hand, they walked over to a bench that looked into the smallest park Brittany had ever seen.

"You know, there really isn't much to tell about everyone," Brittany lied. She had this awful feeling that somehow, someway as they got deeper into talking about these people from Brittany's past that had made their way back into her present that her potentially turbulent living situation might come into question.

"I have a feeling that isn't true..." Dez leaned into Brittany a little and then dipped a fry into her cup of sauce.

Brittany sighed and then quickly decided upon a tactic: Prolong the mention of Quinn and Santana as long as possible. "Well, to be completely honest, I don't really know what Kurt is doing. Apparently he graduated from the Fashion Institute and was recently recruited by this famous designer. He's been traveling for the last few months."

"Wow! That's crazy!"

"And Rachel's in a Broadway show-"

"What's her last name?"

"Berry-"

"You went to high school with Rachel Berry? Oh my god! I love her... wow I sound like a super lame fan girl right now," Dez looked down at the ground and shook her head.

"No way. Trust me, your reaction right there has been her dream since before she could dream," Brittany laughed.

Dez laughed a little nervously along with Brittany but then spoke up again, "Before I can embarrass myself some more, tell me about your roommates."

Perhaps her tactic wasn't so great.

"Umm..." 'start with Quinn' "Quinn used to go to Northwestern. Last year she transferred to NYU, I guess because she really didn't like Chicago," Brittany shrugged. "I think she has this really important internship with a book publishing company or something."

"That's cool. What about Santana?"

Despite not being told a lot of things the night before and despite no longer being friends on Facebook, Brittany actually had a pretty extensive grasp on what Santana had been doing throughout the last three years. Her new tactic was to keep things broad though. Maybe this would work better than her last.

"Santana has a lot going on actually. Her two big things are school and DJing. If I'm not mistaken she just got her own night at this super huge club on 11th-"

"Hold up! Is Santana DJ Slo-Pez?" Dez's excited eyes bared down on Brittany with anticipation.

"Yeah-" Brittany drew out the word as she wondered how on Earth she had guessed that so quickly with barely any hints.

"Holy shit! Why didn't you tell Jackson that you were living with like, the best mash-up creator in the city?"

"I didn't know...?"

"You didn't know? I thought you said you've known Santana since forever?" Dez questioned with slight accusation in her tone.

"I have," a panicked Brittany defended, "but before last night I hadn't spoken to her in over three years."

And in one anxious moment the one thing she wanted to avoid was spilled all over the place.

"Oh... oh I... I'm sorry... I shouldn't... What happened?" Brittany heard the distinct sound of skin smacking skin and then, "You don't have to answer... I'm-"

"I broke up with her," Brittany answered the question that she didn't have to answer. Maybe she _should_ talk about it.

"So, Santana's your ex?" Dez asked in a sweet, sympathetic tone.

"She was my best friend first and I just want that back," Brittany replied, looking over at Dez who had completely shifted on the bench and was facing Brittany.

"I know I don't know the situation very well, but I'm thinking that won't be the easiest thing," Dez said in the same tone as before.

"I know, but now she's with someone else and she's so happy. I've only seen them together for a few hours but I can totally tell that they're the real deal. Way more than Santana and I ever were," Brittany said leaving out the part where the other person is Quinn, "It's not like either of us have feelings for each other anymore."

"You just got in town yesterday, right?" Dez asked, gears clearly grinding away.

"Yeah," Brittany answered nervously, unsure of where this was leading.

"But you hadn't spoken to Santana in over three years?"

"Uh huh..."

"Did you like, talk to Quinn before you just dropped by their apartment last night?" Dez asked more so curiously than accusatory.

"I didn't know that Quinn was living there..."

Not helping.

Dez didn't say anything. She probably didn't know _what_ to say.

"I didn't just show up there expecting for Santana to put me up in her spare bedroom. I really just wanted to see her. I had a hotel room," Brittany quickly filled the silence with damage control, "I was totally caught off guard when they asked me if I wanted to stay with them until I found my own place."

"So, you're like, crashing on a couch in you ex-girlfriend's apartment when you could have a bed at a hotel?"

"No. I have my own room," Brittany answered. She didn't think it was that revealing, but she watched a switch flip in Dez and she knew there were pieces being placed together; pieces Brittany wasn't aware she was removing from the box until this moment.

And then it happened, "Quinn is the 'someone else.'"

Brittany just sat there unable to respond.

"You're living with your ex _and _her girlfriend," Dez acknowledged as she gaped at Brittany.

"We're all friends..."

"I hate to be the one to break it to you, Brittany, but whatever your dynamic used to be, there's a really slim chance that it will ever be the same," Dez announced her spot on insight.

"I know. Okay? I'm aware that my friendships with both of them will never be the same, but at least they'll exist," Brittany said with a little more force than she had intended.

"Okay," Dez replied, leaning back a little.

"I'm sorry..."

"Don't be," Dez responded, returning forward, "this was... a lot for a first time hang out session. I probably overstepped a bit. _I'm_ sorry."

"Nah," Brittany shrugged, "I could have changed the subject, but I didn't."

"Well, if you ever want to talk or just hang out, I'm around," Dez smiled and shrugged one of her shoulders.

"I'm pretty sure that I will definitely be taking you up on that offer," Brittany laughed a little, relieved that she hadn't completely terrified Dez.

"Great! You're cool people, Brittany. No lie, I think we could have a totally bitchin' friendship starting up," Dez said with a smile and a bite into a neglected fry.

"The fact that I'm friends with Rachel Berry and DJ Slo-Pez probably doesn't hurt," Brittany joked.

"Those are just perks," Dez smiled again, "come on, it's getting of late and you need to figure out how to get home from here."

"How do you get to W 4th from here?" Brittany asked looking around as if that was going to help her. Because of a trip to NYU with Santana, Brittany knew for a fact that she couldn't get to the apartment from the NYU/8th St station.

"I will take you there because that's exactly where I'm going."

"Perfect," Brittany answered and then, out of pretty much no where, she remembered that she was supposed to be having a discussion with Quinn and Santana about... stuff. Even though they never discussed a time, she automatically assumed they were waiting for her, "Crap, gimme a second, I have to text Santana and Quinn really quick."

"What? Do you have a curfew?" Dez joked.

"No," Brittany laughed, "I just need to tell them I'm on my way home because we have to... umm... fix some morning scheduling issues."

"Aahhh," Brittany heard Dez as she started up a group text with her roommates.

**To: Santana, Quinn  
**Hey! Just letting you guys know we're still on for tonight. I'm on my way back now!

Hopefully they didn't hate her too much.

* * *

**A/N: Umm... Hi... so, I'm sorry this took so long. I don't have have anything resembling an acceptable excuse beyond my brain wanting a break. I'm back though, at least for a little until my brain wants another break or I need to start studying for the GRE. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this little installment.**


	18. It Slipped

November 2015, New York City  
A Kitchen in TriBeCa

"Think she forgot?" Santana asked as she pulled the olive oil from down from the cabinet and looked over to Quinn who was leaning against the counter to the left of the stove.

"It's 7:30," Quinn defended the girl that couldn't currently defend herself, "we never set a time and besides, I just got home."

Santana simply rolled her eyes and went back to stirring the contents of the wok on the stove. Mere moments later, both of their phones alerted them of a text message.

"Oh my god! It's A!"

"You are the lamest," Quinn laughed, shaking her head as she pulled her phone from her messenger bag on the island, "That show isn't even on anymore."

"But you knew what was referring to," Santana singsonged as she pulled her phone out of her pocket.

They both clicked out of their lock screens and read their identical messages:

**Hey! Just letting you guys know we're still on for tonight. I'm on my way back now!**

"See, she didn't forget," Quinn waved her phone around for Santana to not see the message that they both received.

"Yeah, well, we both know Brittany..." Santana said as she placed her phone back into her pocket and returned to cooking dinner.

"Yeah, we do," Quinn looked up from the message she was sending Brittany and bore her a glare at Santana, "That's why you shouldn't have accused her of forgetting. She has never forgotten when it comes to either of us. I know that things have changed and this whole situation is a little awkward, but this _was_ your idea. Why are you acting like this?"

Santana sighed and looked back over at Quinn, "I guess I'm just still a little discombobulated from this morning." She shrugged and once again went back to the wok.

"So the morning was a little messed up," Quinn shrugged and pressed send on her message asking Brittany how long she thought she'd be.

"A little?" Santana scoffed.

"Okay, maybe a little more than a little."

"Brittany staring at my tits is a _big_ change in routine," Santana huffed, turning her entire body to face Quinn and gesturing broadly with the wooden spoon she'd been using.

Quinn tried, she really did, but her amusement over the whole thing got the best of her and she could not stop her laughter.

"You are _not_ laughing right now!"

"Come on, S! What do you want me to do? Get crazy angry and start screaming at her when she gets here?" Quinn asked through her continuing laughter.

"I want you to at least care!" Santana said, still facing Quinn. She then rolled her eyes, turned back to the wok and overzealously mixed its contents.

"Of course I care! I just don't see what the big deal is. It's not like it's something she's never seen before. She even got to see them before they were..." she trailed off and gestured towards Santana's surgically enhanced chest.

Of course Quinn wasn't angry. She wasn't mad at the video, so why would she be mad at this? Besides, it was kind of Santana's own fault that it happened. She could have closed the door.

"She tried _so_ hard to convince me not to do it," Santana breathed out in a laugh as she shook her head, looking down. In her best Brittany impression, "San, they're already perfect and the new ones won't fit in your Cheerios uniform."

"They didn't," Quinn laughed.

"I know," Santana laughed along with her, "my Abuela had to take it out."

"After Sue made you buy the thing!"

"I loved every second of burning it," Santana said thinking back to their graduation night: all of the Glee kids that just graduated had a bonfire that night, all of them bringing something from high school that directly made them think about the worst parts of it.

"I always wondered why you picked that?" Quinn mused as she peaked into the wok and picked out a green pepper strip.

After slapping Quinn's hand away from dinner, "I started cheerleading for my parents, not for me. I never really liked it that much," she shrugged, "I mean, the popularity and the fear that everyone breathed around me was cool, but that doesn't mean I liked being berated by Sue everyday. You know, when we quit junior year, that was like, the best five months. Even with the slushies and the dirt in my locker... and the Prom thing... and losing Nationals... yeah other than those things: The best."

Quinn laughed a little and then left a smirk on her lips, "You know, it's too bad you don't still have your uniform..."

"Oh really?" Santana chided as she removed the wok from the burner, "Was someone harboring some sapphic thoughts of their fellow Cheerio way back in the day?" she teased and bit down lightly on her lower lip.

"Have you _seen_ your ass?" Quinn asked as she pulled her smitten girlfriend into her, "seriously, god bless the perv that invented those things." She moved her hands to Santana's back slipping them under her shirt, "Back then I just thought I was jealous and _that_ was why I couldn't stop staring," as she spoke her hands slid lower and lower until they were teasing at the thick waistband of Santana's boxer briefs, "I know now it was really because I wanted to do this," she slid her hands down and squeezed the bare flesh her hands found beyond the waistband.

"Mmm," Santana hummed into Quinn's neck, "I'm glad you figured that out."

"Me too," Quinn moaned as Santana lightly sucked her neck just below her ear.

"Just so you know," Santana whispered breathily into the spot she'd been sucking, "the only thing stopping me from picking you up and taking you on this counter is the impending arrival of our new roommate."

"Perhaps we shouldn't have gotten ourselves into this..." Quinn looked down to the nonexistent space between them, "mess."

"I don't know about you," Santana kissed Quinn briefly, "but I can't help myself." She leaned in and kissed Quinn again, this time not so briefly. Their interlocked lips lingered together only parting briefly for a smile on Quinn's side. Neither of them let the kiss escalate, knowing full well that if it did they might not be able to stop themselves this time.

It was a good thing they didn't, too, because it wasn't long before they heard footsteps on the stairs and then a key in the door.

"I can't help myself either," Quinn said with a smirk as she removed her hands from Santana's underwear. She kissed her girlfriend once more before slipping out from underneath her and taking a seat at the island.

"Hi! I am so sorry!" they heard Brittany say from the hallway. "I just got your message, Quinn. You must have sent it while I was on the train," Brittany finally entered the kitchen and instantly put a worried face on, "Crap. You guys have been waiting for me!"

"No, really, don't worry about it, Brittany," Quinn insisted.

"Yeah, Q just got here like a half an hour ago," Santana said and then smiled towards Quinn who returned the gesture.

"Really?" Brittany asked with worry still residing in her face.

"Really, B," Quinn assured, "you're just in time for dinner, S cooked something that I can assure you're going to love."

"Oh my god, I'm starving!" Brittany exclaimed as she sat down, "I went to get fries with the other girl that's starting with the company late and we wound up barely touching them because we were talking so much."

"I take it rehearsal went well," Santana laughed as she passed out dishes.

"So. Amazing." Brittany said with the enthusiasm and excitement that makes everyone drawn to her. "Jackson, the choreographer, is actually a genius. He's choreographing this entire program to mash-ups of like, Motown, Hip Hop, Jazz, old and contemporary R&B, like all mixed together. He wants to tell this story of how each genre paved the way for next and how music and dance have evolved. Oh my god and Dez, that's the other girl, she's unbelievable. I'm pretty sure that dance is like, coded into her DNA or something."

Neither Quinn nor Santana could speak. Both were absolutely flabbergasted by Brittany. It was like she'd finally taken all of the knowledge in her head and put it all in the right place.

"Uh... guys?"

"Brittany that's... amazing!" Quinn spoke up first.

Santana placed the wok on an oven mitt in the middle of the island and sat down, "Did you say he was using mash-ups?"

"Oh yeah! I was actually going to umm... talk to you about that..." Brittany said with a half smile that looked a little guilty.

"Wh... how..." Santana stuttered. How the hell did Brittany know about DJ Slo-Pez? She might not have said it, but clearly that was what she was referring to.

"Face... book...?" Brittany shrugged uneasily.

"Right. Slo-Pez has a fan page. A public fan page," she rolled her eyes and served herself.

"You know, she looks a lot like you," Brittany joked... at least Santana thought it was a joke, "And the amount of girls that think you're _the_ hottest... I can't even count. It's crazy."

"She has to sneak out the back door after a show," Quinn laughed and then took a bite of Santana's palatal masterpiece.

"And then, if Quinn's with me, I can't even look at her until we're a block away from the place. I'm seriously afraid for her safety. Some of dem bitches be hella cray cray," Santana started laughing before even finished saying it.

"Aah... Lima Heights Adjacent..." Brittany smiled and put on fake dreamy eyes.

"What was I thinking?"

"Oh my god!" Quinn squealed, "Remember when you tried to take on Zizes?"

"She totally could have snapped you in half," Brittany laughed.

"Because of Puckerman... not even worth it," Santana shook her head.

Quinn and Brittany looked over to each other and took the brief opportunity while Santana wasn't looking, to silently laugh completely at her expense. As if Santana had ever wanted Noah Puckerman.

"Anyways," Santana looked up, "you wanted to talk to me about mash-ups...?"

"Oh yeah! Jackson is still looking for more. I know that you're like, super busy and stuff and I haven't even talked to him about it yet..."

"When would he need them by?" Santana cut into Brittany's nervous rant.

"I'm not sure. We start touring in February...?" she shrugged in response.

"Well, the semester is over in the middle of December. Then I only have the club for a month... which I didn't realize until this moment... Fucking. Sweet."

"Wait, seriously?" Brittany asked in minor shock.

"Yeah," Santana smiled, "That would be really cool. I mean, my stuff always gets danced to, but a choreographed masterpiece? How awesome would that be?"

"Oh my god! Santana, thank you! I can't wait to tell Jackson tomorrow!"

"I'm gonna have to meet with him so that he can tell me exactly what he's looking for."

"I'm sure that'll be totally fine," an elated Brittany replied.

During the entire exchange, Quinn had been sitting at her end of the island watching. She was actually really happy that Brittany was there. It's funny, you don't realize how much you missed someone until you see them again. Even though she was clearly different, she was still the same lighthearted, bubbly blonde from high school that Quinn loved being friends with.

For a few moments, all that could be heard in the kitchen was the sound of forks on plates. It actually wasn't awkward. It was simply a moment of everyone enjoying their dinner.

Then there was the sound of a fork being put down, "You know, I'm really sorry that I messed up your morning today. I should have realized that you guys would have to get up early for class and stuff."

"Brittany we didn't say anything to you about it last night," Quinn assured her.

"I still feel bad, I mean you guys were probably late," Brittany brought her hand up to the back of her neck.

"My boss is cool," Quinn shrugged, thankful that was actually true.

"And I wasn't even late. Coffeeless, but not late," Santana laughed, "And that other thing... I should have closed the door..."

"Oh god," Brittany directed her eyes to the table and brought her hand to her forehand to cover her face, "Quinn, I am _sooo_ sorry..."

"You don't have t-"

"I wasn't even staring at her... I was staring at her pants and _then_ I looked up just when Santana did," Brittany said frantically looking back up at Quinn.

"Brittany, it's okay," Quinn broke in and just like the last time this was brought up, she couldn't stop her laughter.

"Don't mind her, she laughs at weird stuff," Santana looked at Brittany and waved Quinn off.

Brittany snickered at Santana's comment then both she and Santana watched Quinn's laughter turned into a scowl aimed directly at Santana.

"Uhhh..."

This time Quinn _and_ Brittany laughed. The worry in Santana's face was too funny not to laugh at.

"Well," an annoyed Santana quickly got up from her stool, "I have a test to study for." As she turned away to storm off to her room, she accidentally kicked one of the stool's legs and tripped. It wasn't a big stumble, but it was noticeable enough to revamp Quinn and Brittany's laughter.

"Have fun cleaning up," Santana huffed, moved the stool completely out of her way, and successfully stormed down the hallway.

"Babe!" Quinn called out through her persisting laughter only to receive the sound of a slammed door in return.

"I'll clean up, go ahead," Brittany said to Quinn through her nearly completely diminished laughter.

"Are you sure?" Quinn said getting up with her dish in her hand.

"Yeah," Brittany replied, taking Quinn's plate from her.

"She's just being-"

"Santana?" Brittany finished the sentence for her.

"While she has gotten better at being playfully teased, she hasn't mastered receiving it from more than one person at a time," Quinn said through a half smile and a shrug. Immediately after saying it, she flashed back to times when the three of them would have their Unholy Trinity sleepovers, usually at Brittany's house. Brittany always used to tease Santana about silly things and she would always laugh along, but the moment Quinn would join in, she'd lash out instantly.

The Santana of today, took all of Quinn's teasing, not that she dished out a lot, but Santana never lashed out at her. Not seriously at least.

If Quinn wasn't convinced that Santana wasn't over the other blonde in the kitchen before, she sure as hell was now.

The tables had completely turned.

"It's cool," Brittany shrugged and turned to rinse the dishes.

"You know, she's trying," Quinn said sweetly as she grabbed her messenger bag.

Brittany turned around with a half smile plastered on her lips, "I know. Honestly, I've already gotten more than I thought I would. Go talk to her," she gestured towards the bedroom that Quinn and Santana shared with her head.

Quinn nodded and turned to leave the kitchen. She stopped herself and turned back at the doorway to say one last thing, "I missed you."

Brittany's half smile turned into a full one, "I missed you, too."

Quinn smiled back and before the pleasant moment could turn into an awkward one, she turned out of the kitchen and started the walk to the door that was slammed at her.

The _unlocked_ door that was slammed at her.

Slowly, Quinn opened the door, ready to receive some comment from her girlfriend. Much to her surprise, however she was met with silence and all kinds of sexy concentration situated on Santana's face. She was lying on her stomach with her notebook to her left and her giant LSAT practice book to her right.

"Dammit," Santana mumbled and furiously scribbled something into the practice book. She sighed and looked up catching Quinn staring at her with her bottom lip between her teeth. "Hi," she smirked and then looked back down to her book.

Instead of interrupting her with an extremely passionate kiss full of complete and utter lust, Quinn shook away her want and took her lap top out of her bag. After closing the door behind her, she approached the bed and put her computer down on it. She watched Santana's head move slightly towards it and then back. Taking that as permission to join her, Quinn slipped off her shoes, slowly placed one knee after the other onto the bed and then crawled up to the top where she sat with her legs stretched out in front of her. Her hip connected with Santana's foot, her thigh with Santana's calf and her calf with Santana's thigh.

Once she was situated the way she wanted to be, she opened up her lap top and as it booted up, she looked beyond it to where her foot aligned perfectly with Santana's hip... and ass. With the tip of her tongue pushing on the corner of her lips, she aimed her toe at her favorite part of Santana's body.

Santana's head shot back with a glare and Quinn directed her eyes at her screen. Suppressing a laugh, she curled her lips around her teeth and bit down. Then, out of the corner of her eye she saw a foot slowly making it's way up and then over, poking her in the shoulder. When it went back down, Quinn lowered her hand from her computer and slid it into the leg of Santana's baggy jeans to lightly stroke her calf.

"So, Ilona wants to meet me, huh?" Santana asked with her head still facing her work.

"Mhm," Quinn hummed, "and she wants me to write a book."

"What?" Santana flipped over and sat up nearly knocking Quinn's computer right off of her lap.

"Actually, I think she wants me to write a whole series. I don't know why, she's never read anything I've ever written," Quinn shrugged. She still didn't understand why Ilona would want to publish her life story.

"But you're an amazing writer, Q," Santana said with the eyes and smile combination that always made Quinn blush.

"No I'm not-"

"Yes you are!"

Quinn simply rolled her eyes.

"What are you gonna write about?" Santana asked leaning in closer.

"I haven't agreed-"

"You will! What are you gonna write about?" Santana insisted and scooted closer to her on the bed.

"I don't think you're going to be so enthusiastic when I tell you what she wants this series to be about," Quinn said allowing her annoyance with her girlfriend to be heard.

"Try me."

"Us," Quinn said bluntly, "mostly me, but I can't write about me without writing about you."

"Oh," Santana responded plainly and before Quinn could say 'I told you so,' Santana looked right at her and said, "Then you definitely have to do it!"

"What?" Quinn genuinely couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"Do you know how awesome that would be?" Santana asked with way more enthusiasm than Quinn could have ever expected. Santana rolled her eyes and sighed, "You have no idea how helpful your life story would be to young girls, do you?"

"Yeah, its lesson would be don't get drunk and have sex with a guy that doesn't believe in condoms," Quinn snarked and looked down at her computer screen.

Santana sighed again, "While that is true, you know that isn't what I'm talking about."

Looking back up, Quinn shook her head a little, "I know how much it would help, but that doesn't mean that I'm capable of doing my own life justice... or yours or anyone else's that would be involved."

"I think... no, I know you can do it," Santana placed her hand on Quinn's thigh and locked her eyes with Quinn's.

"You really think, so?"

"I'm pretty sure I said, I _know_ so," Santana smiled.

Quinn closed her lap top and handed it to Santana who placed it on the table next to the bed. Santana turned around and changed her positioning on the bed so that their hips were touching and she could wrap her arm around Quinn's shoulder. As Quinn lowered her head to Santana shoulder, she admitted, "I don't know the first thing about writing a book."

"Neither did Stephanie Meyers and look at Twilight. Those aren't even written well!" Santana laughed and kissed the top of Quinn's head.

"But you still read them all," Quinn teased, looking up from Santana's shoulder.

"That is privileged knowledge Fabray. There are only two people in the world that know that. You and the other blonde girl somewhere in this apartment. It better stay that way," Santana warned with complete seriousness.

"Your secret is safe with me," Quinn said softly as she inched her way up to Santana's lips. Once their lips touched, Quinn was quickly reminded of the want she had experienced not even a half an hour before. Wasting no time, she turned her body slightly so that she was on top of Santana with her left leg in between both of Santana's.

"Mmm... someone's feeling frisky," Santana hummed into Quinn's lips.

"If you say that word ever again, we will forgo all sexual activity for two weeks," Quinn backed her head up slightly, quirking up her eyebrow.

"Yeah, ri-"

"Try me, Lopez," Quinn interrupted her with her deep, serious voice.

"Never again," Santana husked out, feeling even more turned on than she already was. That voice did it to her every single time.

"Good," Quinn whispered and brought her lips back to Santana's. "Take this thing off," Quinn urged, getting onto her knees and tugging at Santana's NYU hoodie, "It's making _me_ hot."

"I don't think it's my sweatshirt making you hot," Santana smirked then swiftly turned Quinn's shoulders and pushed her down onto her back so that she was lying across the bed.

"How do I never see that coming?" Quinn huffed as Santana straddled her hips.

"I have no idea," Santana said through her still present smirk then removed both her hoodie and the t-shirt underneath.

"I forgot you were wearing those," Quinn said staring lustily at the waistband of Santana's underwear. She then let her eyes wander up from the bright green and black over her abs to the perfectly matched bright green bra and up to Santana's eyes, that had been watching it all happen, "So. Sexy."

"Oh, you like these?" Santana kept eye contact with Quinn as rolled her hips and unbuttoned her jeans.

Quinn nodded as her eyes departed from Santana's to make their way down to the scene at her hips. Slowly, Santana's fingers lowered the zipper and folded down the sides revealing the bright green and black plaid patterned boxer briefs. "And those ones are my favorite," Quinn husked out and reached up, placing her hands on Santana's hips, "Take these off."

Santana removed herself from Quinn and obliged her girlfriend's request. Once her pants were off like Quinn wanted, she laid down next to her and looked over, "Well?"

"Well, what?" Quinn questioned back.

"You're the one who seems to be taking charge here," Santana rolled her eyes and smirked yet again.

"Ugh," Quinn groaned, "that was premature. I don't want to be in charge."

"Well, I don't want to be on top," Santana groaned back, surprisingly.

"What? _You_ don't want to be on top?" Quinn turned onto her side and propped her head onto her hand.

"Uh uh," Santana seductively shook her head and bit her lip. "I want _you_," she pointed to the spot where Quinn's legs met, "here," she then pointed up to her own mouth and directed her eyes up, indicating where the rest of Quinn would be.

Quinn licked her lips that were suddenly dry, a stark difference from what she felt where Santana had just pointed to, and mouthed, "Oh."

"Uh huh."

Quinn smiled, then lowered herself back onto her back where she slipped out of her jeans and underwear.

"C'mere," Santana whispered and nodded her head up slightly, "and take this off," she flicked at Quinn's shirt. It needed to be off for two reasons, 1) it was covering things Santana wanted to see and 2) it was little too long for what was about to happen.

Soon enough, Quinn's knees were on either side of Santana's head and her shirt _and_ bra were at the foot of the bed. Santana's hands slid up Quinn's thighs, landing on her ass where they pulled her closer to her mouth. Quinn moaned in anticipation, somehow finding herself at an impossible level of turned on.

"You're so beautiful," Santana kissed just above Quinn's clit, "and _so_ wet," she said and licked her lips. Quinn watched a a hungry look play across Santana's face just before her hands gripped tighter on her ass and her tongue found her clit.

"Fuck!"

_**Slam**_

"Sorry! It slipped! Good night!"

"Oh my god," Quinn turned her head towards the door to see it still closed.

"Night, Brittany!" Santana briefly let up on her circular motions with her tongue. She smirked at Quinn when she looked back at her with her panicked, 'what do we do?' look, "keep quiet and she'll never know." With that, she went back to her ministrations on Quinn's clit.

"FU-hmmm... Night, B!" Quinn tried to make sound as normal as possible and by the way that Santana was smiling, she knew it wasn't very normal sounding at all. She clamped her teeth down onto her bottom lip to keep as many sounds as possible from escaping. As soon as she felt Santana's lips wrap around her clit however, she knew her efforts would be to no avail. Then, when Santana's arm snuck out from under her leg and skimmed its way up to her breast, she knew she was absolutely doomed.

"Oh my god," slipped out way louder than she wanted when Santana found that one minuscule spot on her clit that somehow seemed to be connected to her nipple. And of course Santana knew that the sensation intensified when she pinched said nipple. A high pitched "Hmmm," escaped from behind her lips this time.

Briefly, she wondered why Santana _had_ to be so fucking good at making her scream... then she wondered what the fuck she was thinking because she _loved_ it.

At that thought, she looked down her body to see that Santana was watching her. As soon as they made eye contact, Santana sucked Quinn's clit back in between her lips and administered relentless circles.

"Fu... San... I'm... I..." Quinn started whispering. She knew she couldn't keep that up with how things were going.

Screams were inevitable.

Before they could escape, she reached down as fast as she could and grabbed a pillow. She held it up to the wall in front of her and dug her face into it just as her orgasm yanked away at every nerve in her body. Everything she wanted and maybe didn't want to release was thrown into her down substitute savior. Then as she came down from her orally induced high, she turned her face out from the pillow, but used it to rest, leaning her head and shoulders into.

From underneath her she heard, she heard the throaty laugh of her girlfriend which forced her to move from her strangely comfortable position. "Shut up," she huffed as she removed herself from her position over Santana, "You try coming that hard in silence."

"Is that a challenge?" Santana smirked as she propped herself up on her elbows.

"You bet your gorgeous fake tits it is, Lopez," Quinn quirked her eyebrows up slyly and began crawling back to Santana.

"Bring it, Fabray."

"Gladly."

* * *

**A/N: Just a quick little reminder that this story is canon up to season 2. Basically Seasons 3 and 4 are dead to me (before it even starts). Anyways as always I love hearing from you!**


	19. Egg Toss

November 2015, New York City  
Lost in the Kitchen

For the first time since the Monday morning debacle, on Saturday morning, Brittany was able to freely roam around the apartment (including into the full bathroom) at anytime she wanted. Since she didn't want to be wandering around it at 5 AM when Santana was up and getting ready for her test, that statement was entirely true. So, at 8:30, when she wanted to be awake and out of her room, there was nothing to stop her.

She walked out of her room and went straight for the bathroom, like most people. At least she assumed most people go straight for the bathroom after waking up. Every person she'd ever witnessed wake up in the morning followed the same routine of wake up then pee.

After that business was taken care of and she swished away her morning breath with some mouth wash, she headed for the kitchen. The kitchen where she still didn't know where anything was. Clearly, Santana rearranged everything after she'd left because not a single thing was in the same place as it was when she left over three years ago. Well, everything except for the fridge... and the stove... and the sink... everything that Santana could move on her own, was moved. If Brittany hadn't been there to help put everything in its place when she moved in, everything would probably still be in the same place. When Santana came out to her parents and was subsequently kicked out of her house, Santana changed her phone number, her permanent address, most of her wardrobe and even gave up her car all because they connected her to her parents both physically and emotionally. It's no wonder that she would try her best to erase any impact Brittany would have had on her living space. For all she knew, Brittany was never coming back and she was almost right.

The apartment didn't even smell the same. Of course it didn't. For almost a year Quinn had been spending all of her nights there making every inch of it smell like both of them, which thanks to many a cuddle filled sleepover, she knew exactly what that smelled like.

As she sat contemplating the two best friends she'd ever had, she was suddenly completely overwhelmed by the need to make pancakes.

"_San, I know I'm not a very good cook, but I don't think that the amount of ingredients you're measuring out is going to be enough for everyone," Brittany said as she wrapped her arms around her best friend's waist and gently rested her head on her shoulder._

"_I know, Britt," Santana turned her head and kissed Brittany's cheek... in the middle of the Home Ec room, "this is for a special batch."_

"_Really?" the blonde squeezed a little tighter with all of her excitement over the entire situation._

"_Yeah. This one is just for you, me and-"_

"_Quinn?"_

"_Yeah. An Unholy Trinity batch," Santana smiled and went back to measuring out the flour with one hand._

"_I'm glad you're including Quinn in that," Brittany smiled backing up and then moving to stand next to Santana, "I feel like we leave her out a lot."_

"_Well, we asked her join..."_

"_You were joking! You'd be awful in a threesome, San. You're _way_ too jealous," Brittany rolled her eyes._

"_Pssht... I think I could handle it... with the right person... okay you're right, I couldn't handle it," Santana convinced herself before Brittany could even give her a quirked eyebrow._

"_Anyways... what's so special about these Unholy Trinity Pancakes?" Brittany changed the subject and kissed Santana's shoulder._

"_These," Santana grabbed a bag full of peanut butter morsels and held it up for Brittany to see, "Everyone else is just getting regular banana pancakes, but ours are going to have these in them, that's why we have to make a separate batch."_

"_OOO! Can I make them?" Brittany's eyes practically fell out of her face she was so excited._

"_I was actually hoping you'd make them all," Santana smiled and held up her still cast ridden wrist._

"_Yay!" she grabbed Santana's cheeks and kissed her on the lips... still in the middle of the Home Ec room, "I love you!"_

_Santana's lip found itself in between her teeth and face was quite pink, "I love you, too, Britt."_

"_What do I do first?"_

"_Umm... you crack the egg into the bowl and then mix it up," Santana said in a slightly higher pitch than usual._

"_Like this?" Brittany questioned as she cracked the egg on the side of the bowl and let its contents spill out into it._

"_Perfect, now mix it with this," Santana said handing her a whisk._

"_Get a room," another blonde entered the room with a laugh._

"_We're in a room, Q," Brittany answered, looking up from her whisking with a clueless look on her face._

_Quinn laughed and Santana simply kissed her temple._

"_Did I miss something?" she asked, looking between Santana and Quinn._

"_Nope, you are just as adorable as ever," Santana answered and kissed her temple again._

_Brittany sighed and let it go, "okay what next in our special Unholy Trinity Pancakes?"_

"_What? Unholy Trinity Pancakes?" Quinn asked rushing to the counter._

_Santana rolled her eyes and began her explanation, "You know how Berry makes those ridiculous 'I'm sorry' cookies?"_

"_Yeah, I've thrown out enough of them."_

_Santana laughed because so had she, "Well, I'm making 'Thanks for being there' banana pancakes for everyone in Glee."_

"_Aww," Quinn sighs, "they're all gonna think they're poisoned."_

"_Shut up, Q."_

"_Ours are going to have peanut butter chips in them though! And I'm making them!" Brittany jumped in with all of her excitement._

_Quinn's jaw dropped, "Peanut Butter and Banana Unholy Trinity Pancakes?"_

"_Yup. A very special thank you," Santana blushed and left it at that. Of course she wouldn't delve any further than that. Luckily for her, Brittany and Quinn already knew how grateful she was for them._

**1 egg  
****1 cup of flour  
****3/4 cup of milk  
****2 tbsp canola oil  
****2 tsp baking powder (bc 3 is too many)  
****1 tsp salt  
****1 tbsp sugar  
****A little vanilla extract**

Brittany knew how to cook one thing from scratch: Pancakes. She memorized the recipe that day Santana taught her how.

Now if only she could find everything...

"Morning, B," she heard a groggy voice enter the kitchen.

'Saved!'

"Hey Q! You're just in time!" Brittany said turning around with the one of two ingredients she was able to find in her hand: an egg.

"Just in time for what? An egg toss?" she rubbed her eye under her glasses and slumped into a stool, "I am not awake enough to have a potential mess thrown at me."

"I'm not gonna throw this at you," Brittany laughed, "I'm making pancakes but I don't know where anything is."

Suddenly very awake, "Santana's pancakes?"

"Yup," Brittany said sliding her list of ingredients across the island to Quinn.

"Yes! Okay, the flour and the sugar are in those containers to the right of the stove," Quinn pointed to a row glass jars two of which containing white substances.

"Duh," Brittany said as she grabbed them.

"You found the milk and egg... canola oil is in the spinny thing in the corner and baking powder, salt, vanilla extract and peanut butter morsels are in the cabinet above the spinny thing," Quinn pointed over to the corner of the cabinetry.

"I think it's called a Lazy Susan," Brittany said as she went over to it.

"Sure... umm... bowls are under here," Quinn tapped on the counter top of the island, "and measuring cups and spoons and cooking utensils are all in the drawer to the left of the stove."

"Thanks," Brittany said as she silently took stock of the supplies she had gathered onto the island, "Ummm..."

"Electric skillet or frying pan?"

"Electric skillet," Brittany smiled.

"It's under here, too," Quinn smiled, "and she keeps the bananas in the fridge. I don't ask questions."

Brittany just laughed as she walked over to the fridge, "It's probably better that way."

"I think she just likes them cold," Quinn yawned and poked at the flour container.

"Bananas and peanut butter chips are _not_ on that list," Brittany joked as she cracked the egg into the bowl.

"I know, but as soon as you said pancakes it's what I thought of," Quinn smiled and reached for the bag full of tiny peanut butter pieces that was already open, "Too bad S isn't here to enjoy."

"We can save a couple," Brittany suggested as she measured out the milk then poured it into the bowl with the egg.

"I think she'll be really excited when she sees Unholy Trinity Pancakes," Quinn said popping a few pieces of peanut butter into her mouth.

"You think so?" Brittany asked skeptically. She really didn't want Quinn to just be saying that.

"I do, I told you, she's trying. It's just... a lot," Quinn shrugged.

"Yeah, I know," Brittany said as she put some extra elbow into mixing the flour, egg and milk together. As she watched the mostly powder turn into the batter she aiming for, she felt a pang of guilt emerge. She wasn't entirely sure what it was for, but she knew it was there.

"S and I are okay," Quinn said as if she could read Brittany's mind.

"I didn't..."

"You put on that guilty face that I've witnessed more in the last week than in an entire three and half years of high school," Quinn said, grabbing a banana and peeling it so she could cut it up for Brittany.

"Oh," Brittany said quietly as she added the rest of the ingredients (minus the peanut butter and bananas) into the bowl.

"You know, I'm glad you're here."

Brittany looked up briefly and gave tiny look of disbelief, then looked back down to her stirring.

"I mean it. I think you being here is good for Santana. She loves you-"

"Not the way she loves you!" Brittany jumped in nervously.

"I know, Bri-"

"She never looked at me the way she looks at you," Brittany dropped the whisk and listened to it boing off of the bowl, surprised at her own honesty. "I'm serious," she said in a much calmer tone, "I've never seen her look at anyone like the way she looks at you. It's so beautiful."

Quinn just became all smiles and pink cheeks.

"I'm so happy for you two," Brittany smiled and then grabbed the peanut butter chips, "You two are like, so perfect. I can't believe I didn't see it in high school!"

"Santana was pretty hung up on some other girl..." Quinn said with her eyebrow quirked up.

"Yeah," Brittany rolled her eyes, "but still, I'm usually so good at picking up that kind of thing."

"And I was really good at hiding things," Quinn said looking at the table top where she was swirling her fingers on the counter top.

"Oh my god! You... in high school! Ugh! Now I really feel like an idiot!" Brittany huffed as she dripped peanut butter chip filled batter onto the electric skillet.

"But I feel completely successful," Quinn smiled, "Besides, what would it have done?"

"Nothing," Brittany shook her head and checked for bubbles in the batter. She grabbed a handful of banana slices and placed them into the pancakes.

"I like the way things worked out," Quinn said through this completely rapt smile that Brittany had never seen before this week.

"Rachel thinks it was fate," Brittany said as she flipped the pancakes in the skillet.

"I guess with the way it all happened, it kind of seems that way," Quinn said through the same smile.

"I'm gonna be invited to the wedding, right?" Brittany smiled as she placed the pancakes on a plate and then began cooking two more.

"We haven't even been together for a year, B," Quinn shook her head but blushed away.

"You're gonna get married, Q. You're the right person, I wasn't," Brittany smiled softly as she assembled the banana part of the Unholy Trinity Pancakes. Then, she felt the guilty face reappear.

"Don't worry, I knew about it," Quinn stopped her before she could panic.

Brittany released the breath she was holding and went back to the pancakes, "You should eat those before the peanut butter isn't melty anymore," she said without looking up from the skillet.

"Thanks," Quinn answered. She didn't even bother getting a fork, she just picked one up and tore right into it. "Oh my god, Britt," Quinn moaned with her mouth full, "this is perfect!"

"Don't let Santana know that I made you foodgasm all over the kitchen," Brittany chuckled as she flipped another pancake onto the plate.

"Oh trust me," Quinn's mouth still full, "she'll be doing the same thing when she bites into one of these."

"Oh my god," Brittany said with her mouth full as she poured more batter into the skillet. For some reason she was hit with something that Quinn was going to think was completely random, but because it was expected, Brittany decided to let it out anyways, "You guys are going to make the most beautiful little mixed children the world has ever seen!"

"Umm... first of all still haven't even been together a year and second: that's not really how lesbian baby making works, B," Quinn replied after nearly choking on the flat breakfast food she'd been savoring.

"I know," Brittany rolled her eyes, "but by the time you're ready, maybe there'll be some crazy genetic thing where they can like, put half of yours or Santana's DNA into some empty spermies and you can make those gorgeous mixed babies."

Quinn's chin was practically on the table top.

"I've always been this smart, Q, I just haven't always used my knowledge correctly," Brittany answered the question that Quinn probably wanted to ask but couldn't get past her shock.

"Wow."

"Anyways, you and San _will_ be getting married and you _will_ be making gorgeous children together," Brittany said firmly but with a smile and as Quinn opened her mouth to protest with what Brittany assumed would be financial doubt, she jumped right in, "And don't say that you won't be able to afford the crazy genetic shit I'm predicting is going to exist. Santana is going to be a bitchin' lawyer and you are going to make _sooo_ much money off of those books you're gonna write."

"How did you... did Santana...?"

"I heard you guys talking the other night. It's a really nice apartment but the walls are like paper," Brittany shrugged and chuckled a little bit. She had heard a lot more than a conversation about a potential book series, but didn't think she needed to mention it.

"Oh," Quinn sighed and then Brittany watched it hit her. Her eyes went wide and her hands shot to her face to cover it. "Oh god," she exclaimed in a muffled voice, "you _can_ hear us!"

"It's totally okay, Q! The last thing I want is to do disrupt what you have going. So please, carry on with the sexy times," Brittany laughed a little and slid the last of the pancakes onto the plate, "Besides, it sounded way too good for you to cease and desist."

So maybe her filter was just going to malfunction every once in a while.

"Uhhh..."

"Too much?"

"A little," Quinn winced.

"Sorry."

They stayed in slightly awkward silence for a moment. Brittany wanted nothing more than to squash the awkwardness with something silly but she couldn't for the life her think of anything. All she could think about was how awkward she had made a perfect morning.

"Are you going home for Christmas?" Quinn broke into the thick silence. She got up and started cleaning up the mess on the island.

"Yeah," Brittany answered with a little more enthusiasm than she had intended, "I'm excited to go home. I haven't seen my family since August."

"I wish I didn't have to see my family," Quinn sighed as she dropped some utensils into the sink.

"You're going home for Christmas, too?" Brittany asked with a big, bright smile.

"Uh huh, father demands it."

"Well, you can spend all of your not family time with my family and me if you want," Brittany smiled again. Her family loved Quinn and she knew there would no problem.

"I would love that. I miss your mom and dad... and oh my god your sister's a teenager!"

"Yeah and apparently she has boys all over her," Brittany laughed thinking about her last Skype with said little sister which was filled with glorious middle school gossip.

"I bet. She is _your_ sister," Quinn chuckled.

"And in the short time that she lived in the Pierce home, Santana managed to teach her everything she knew."

"Oh great!" Quinn threw her head back and released the loudest laugh.

"Pierce looks and Lopez charm, those middle school boys aren't going to know what hit them," Brittany joined in on Quinn's absurd laughter.

"Oh god, that must have been the craziest three and a half weeks ever in that house," Quinn's laughter continued.

"My mom loved it. When I talked to her about living here for a while she was so excited that Santana was back in my life. She told me that taking her in after she was kicked out was the best thing she'd ever done. She said, 'Everyone deserves to live in a home where they're loved unconditionally for who they are,'" Brittany stopped cleaning up for a moment as she felt the pain of impending tears building in her throat. She swallowed hard over and over to get rid of it. With the exception of one tear drop, she was pretty successful and she was sure that Quinn hadn't seen it.

"Your mom is so great," Quinn sighed as she flipped the faucet on.

"Yeah," Brittany agreed with a half smile and went back to putting things back in their place in the kitchen.

While Brittany shuffled around the kitchen, Quinn cleaned the dishes she had used to make her perfect pancakes. They did this is _un_awkward silence. The silence was yet again broken by Quinn however with that teeth sucking sound that every teenager masters and then never forgets how to make, except when you're older, you use it a little differently (sometimes). In this case, Quinn simply used it to let Brittany know that she was thinking and she wanted talk about it, "Remember that night that we picked her up," teeth sucking noise again, "that was stupid, of course you remember."

Brittany laughed a little and asked softly, "what about it, Q?"

"I've always wondered why she didn't just stop at your house. She would have gotten there sooner than the elementary school, not much, but still..." she trailed off her thought and started another, "Santana doesn't really like to talk about it... that night at least and I don't really think that she needs to, so I don't ask..." she trailed off again and bit down anxiously on her bottom lip.

"She probably doesn't. Between my parents and Rosa and Vicky, she had and _has_ more and _better_ parents than she did her whole life," Brittany assured as she leaned up against the island to face Quinn. Then, she took a deep breath, contemplating the exact thing that Santana had told her when she asked the same question that Quinn had just asked, three and half years prior, "The day she got her cast off, she finally talked about it. She said that she was actually alright with losing her parents. She'd spent enough time being unhappy because of them and if they weren't going to love her for her, then they didn't deserve to be in her life. You know how she would always say things and you just knew they weren't entirely true?"

"Yeah," Quinn answered right away.

"This wasn't like that," Brittany shook her head and pursed her lips a little, "she was actually okay with it and I believed her, one hundred percent. That's when I asked her why she didn't just come to my house after it all happened and she said..." Brittany laughed to herself thinking about Santana's answer, "... she said, 'I knew the moment I saw your mother I would be an absolute wreck and I'd never be able to stop crying.' Funny thing is, the moment I told her what my Mom had texted me, she fell on the floor bawling her eyes out anyways."

"Brittany?"

"Yeah?" she looked back up from the hardwood floor under her bare feet and out of her slight storytelling daze.

"I'm _really_ happy that you're here," Quinn wrapped Brittany up in the biggest, most unexpected hug.

"Me too, Q," she smiled and hugged her right back. She wasn't sure what was happening, but there was no way she was going to fight it.

The road to repairing her friendship with Santana traveled directly through a rekindled friendship with Quinn.

* * *

**A/N: Who doesn't love a little flashback? Happy Labor Day, everyone! Hope you enjoyed this early morning installment. Of course I'd love to hear from you and if you ever have questions, feel free to ask. I actually really love answering your questions. I can't answer them all because I refuse to spoil the story, but I will answer them when I'm asked. Have a wonderful day!**


	20. Cranberry Sauce

November 2015, New York City  
As Close to Macy's as One Can Get...

...Without Leaving TriBeCa

Thanksgiving is one of those holidays that we don't really get when we're kids. It isn't until we're older and spending it with people that we're actually thankful for that we really understand why it happens. Of course history always told us that it happens because the Pilgrims were happy that the Native Americans taught them how to burry fish in the ground with their crops, but four hundred years later, who gives a shit, right? Now we're thankful for the big ass turkey in front of us and the family and friends that we've _chosen_ to sit around us enjoying it.

These were Santana's thoughts exactly. A few years ago she would have said that Thanksgiving was her least favorite holiday of the year. Especially in high school. For four years she had to wake up early and "cheer" for the dumb ass football team _Then_ she had to go home and pretend to care about her stupid family and their stupid shit. She had to sit around for hours listening to all the d bags on her Dad's side talk about all the boring crap going in their lives. Santana would say her piece about how school was great, cheerleading was great, Glee Club was great but still lame (even though she didn't think it was lame).

Really the only thing that got her through the day was knowing she'd be going to Brittany's when it was all over. There Brittany's Mom would have a slice of the _best_ apple pie waiting for her, her Dad would have the dumbest, most amazing jokes ready to be tested on her and her little sister would be there hanging on her every word because for some reason, she thought that her big sister's friends were the coolest people on the planet. Later in the night, she'd be upstairs where the commiseration with Quinn would start and they'd rag on their families while Brittany snuggled up to Santana and planned out a day of Black Friday shopping that would never actually come to full fruition. Then somehow, she'd wind up in the middle of a cuddle fest while they watched some dumb movie and she'd wake up in the morning (much later than Brittany had wanted) still flanked by the other two girls. Every time, she'd wake up spooning Brittany and Quinn would be snuggled up into her back with her leg on top of Santana's.

She had no idea back then what her life would be like today. If someone had told her that Thanksgiving 2015 was going to seal the deal on Thanksgiving being her favorite holiday, she would have actually fell on the floor and passed out laughing. They wouldn't have even had to say that she was going to be surrounded by her Aunts Rosa and Vicky, their son Doyle, her best friends Rachel Berry and Kurt Hummel, her _ex_-girlfriend Brittany S. Pierce and her girlfriend Quinn Fabray because the shock of the first announcement would have already knocked her out.

But alas, there she was on Thanksgiving 2015 watching the parade with those same best friends, her ex-girlfriend and girlfriend awaiting the arrival of her Aunts and their four-month-old son while the scent of the giant turkey in the oven filled her two bedroom, one and half bathroom apartment in TriBeCa, Manhattan, New York, New York.

"What are you thinking about?" a head of blonde hair looked up from her shoulder and kissed her cheek, "I don't think that Santa is making you smile that big."

Santana laughed and kissed the top Quinn's head, taking in the scent of her hair, "Today and how great it is already."

Quinn took her head off her shoulder and looked around the room, "I agree."

"When are Rosa and Vicky getting here?" Rachel asked from the other couch.

"Umm... they said they were aiming for one, so noon," Santana chuckled a little.

"Even with a four-month-old they'll be that early?" Kurt, who was back from his magical mystery tour, asked from the same couch as Rachel.

From her position on the floor, directly in front of the television, Brittany whipped her head around with excitement all over her face, "I cannot wait to meet him!"

"I can't wait to see how big he's gotten," Quinn said, sitting up from Santana's side, "we haven't seen him since July when he was born."

"Yes you have! You guys have pictures of the kid plastered all over your fridge. They've sent you a picture from his month birthdays for the last three months," Rachel huffed at them.

"They didn't send us one this month," Santana whined back and stuck her tongue out at her best friend.

"Put that back in your mouth, I know where it's been," Rachel said through a face full of faux disgust.

"You loved it," Santana rebutted with fake seduction and then instantly regretted it.

"WHHHHAAAAATTTT?" was heard from two different corners. Funny, the lower voice came from closer to the television.

"Ummm..." Santana's face burned as she tried to assemble some sort of tactful explanation. It did not help that Quinn's face was buried into her side and she could feel her bouncing with laughter.

"Very drunk, very long time ago. The end," Rachel answered for them and pursed her lips in annoyance at Santana.

"You knew?" Kurt looked at Quinn accusingly and with plenty of shock.

"We don't keep secrets," she giggled and buried her face back into Santana to hide her uncontrollable laughter.

"I'm glad someone thinks this is hilarious," Santana rolled her eyes and chuckled a little. For some reason, she couldn't stop it though and her little chuckle turned into a laugh and like wild fire, it spread through room.

Every single one of them was buckled over in laughter. Brittany was _actually_ rolling on the floor laughing. They could not stop. Once it would die down a little, one of them would make eye contact with another and it would start all over again.

At one point Brittany and Kurt looked at each other and spoke as if they were on the exact same wavelength:

Kurt: "I can't believe that 'Manhands'"

Brittany: "And 'Satan!'"

Kurt: "Slept together!"

Brittany: "And now!"

Kurt: "They're best friends!"

Cue another round of uproarious laughter.

By the time they were all on in too much physical pain to continue, _It's A Wonderful Life_ had been on for a half an hour.

And the buzzer was going off.

"Told you. Ow," Santana groaned and grabbed at her aching abs, "I'll get it." She pushed herself up off of the couch and shuffled into the hallway to confirm that her aunts were in fact an hour early. "Laugh Factory," she cheesily said into the box.

"I could have sworn we were downtown," her Tia's voice came through the box. She could actually hear her grin through the speaker.

"I'll be right down," she answered excitedly and jogged to end of the hallway to the door and continued the pace down the stairs. Her smile grew bigger every inch more that she could see of her aunts through the door. As soon as she got to the door she threw it open and wrapped her arms around her Tia.

"I missed you," Rosa said with that warm, loving tone that when combined with the embrace made Santana feel like she was at home.

"I missed you, too," Santana responded and squeezed a little tighter.

"And what am I? Chopped liver?" Vicky joked from their side.

"Of course not," Santana replied, letting go of Rosa. She leaned over and kissed Vicky's cheek. She would have given her a hug as big as the one she'd given Rosa, but there was a perfect, little human in her ams preventing her from doing so. "Oh my god, he's even more beautiful in person," Santana said the instant she looked down and saw his big blue eyes that looked just like Vicky's.

"Bring him up so we can all see him!" they heard and all looked up to see Quinn crouched at the top of the stairs looking down to them.

"Looks like you're both chopped liver," Santana laughed and gestured to take the carrier that Rosa had been holding. Since Vicky was holding the baby, they were able to put all of the other things they brought inside of it: rolls and pie.

"Thanks. Can you take this, too?" she dropped her shoulder down and the strap of a giant baby bag fell, "I have to grab the playpen out of the cab."

"Uh, yeah," Santana said looking back at the idling cab that she hadn't noticed until now. She grabbed the bag and as Rosa went back to the cab, she looked down at Doyle smiled, "You're a lot of work, little man."

"You have no idea," Vicky sighed through a smile, then headed into the hall and up the stairs.

Santana stayed behind and held the door for her Tia. She knew the instant that Vicky had crossed the threshold into the apartment because you could hear were gasps and "Oh my gods."

"Thanks, Tana," Rosa said as she passed by with the cumbersome, folded up playpen.

"How was the drive down?" Santana asked as she let go of the door and then followed up the stairs to the 'oos' and 'aahs.'

"Perfect. He slept the whole time," she shrugged as best she could with the structure in her hands.

"Oh good, he'll be awake for all the crazy," Santana said just as the got to the top of the stairs to see that Vicky had barely gotten into the apartment. There were four twenty-somethings surrounding her and her child staring at it is as if they'd never seen a baby before. "Okay guys, give the woman some space and the child some oxygen," she yelled from the hall.

"Can I hold him?" Quinn asked as everyone else backed off and began to disperse.

"Of course you can," Vicky answered sweetly and prepped to hand her son over to pair of willing arms.

As soon as Doyle was in her arms, Quinn's face lit right up and she looked up to Santana. The smile on her face was so big and so beautiful. All Santana could think about was how much she wanted that for them one day. Clearly, she could wait for it because neither of them were ready, but the feeling of want for that future was so overwhelming that it was impossible to ignore.

"Come on, let's bring him into the living room with the rest of the kids," Vicky broke into their moment and guided Quinn down the hall.

"Is your uterus screaming at you?" Rosa snarked quietly as she passed by her into the apartment.

"Kind of," Santana answered honestly as she followed.

"You have plenty of time," her aunt turned around and said sternly.

"You act like we could have a 'whoops' pregnancy," Santana retorted with her own snark.

Rosa laughed a little and turned into the kitchen, "You know what I mean."

"We haven't even talked about anything like that," Santana assured her Tia. They really hadn't. It just never came up.

"Wait, seriously? That's like, standard second date conversation for lesbians," Rosa said with her sarcasm that most people couldn't tell _was_ sarcasm.

"Well, first of all," Santana started as she emptied the contents of the baby carrier onto the island, "we aren't 'standard lesbians.' Quinn isn't even gay, she's bi."

Rosa rolled her eyes, "As if that matters, you're both still women."

"Whatever, it's just not something we've brought up," Santana huffed hoping that would end the conversation. Today was not the day to delve into the deep seeded baby issues that Santana was positive Quinn was harboring. If there was nothing else, _that_ was what prevented Santana from ever bringing it up. She knew it wasn't entirely fair to assume it, but it was safer than it actually having to deal with it.

"How long has the bird been cooking?" Vicky came into the kitchen, unknowingly rescuing Santana.

"Since ten," Santana answered instantly, "it's huge. I actually didn't think it was going to fit in the oven."

"Lucky for you, the owner of this building put standard sized stoves in," Rosa smiled and picked up the play pen. She kissed her wife and started for the living room, "I'm gonna go set this up even though I'm sure no one is going be putting our son down anytime soon."

"Your girlfriend looks like she's been holding babies her whole life," Vicky laughed as she dug through the bags on the table.

Santana refrained from saying that she was almost positive Quinn hadn't held a baby since Beth, because still, that was literally the last thing she wanted to talk about. She'd actually rather talk about her Aunts' sex life before she wanted to talk about that.

"Shit!"

"What's wrong?" Santana turned from the bag of potatoes that she was about to open.

"We forgot the cranberry sauce," Vicky huffed.

"I'll get some!" Brittany bounded into the kitchen.

Santana had actually forgotten that Brittany was there. She'd been so quiet since her aunts had gotten there and was in a completely different room.

"Are you sure, Brittany?" Vicky asked.

"Yeah! What would Thanksgiving be without slices of can shaped cranberry goop?" Brittany smiled and shrugged.

"A complete wash," Santana laughed, giving Brittany a genuine smile. While she admitted that things were still awkward between them, especially when they found themselves alone together, things were getting better. She found that whenever Quinn was around, she was the perfect buffer. It only got easier when there were more people around to slice up the tension.

"Do you think that the store around the corner will have some?" Brittany asked Santana as she headed over to the doorway into the hall.

"Umm... I'm not sure. They might. Hell, they should. It's a good money making scheme. How many people do you think forgot cranberry sauce?" Santana joked looking between Brittany and Vicky.

"Probably a lot," Vicky shrugged and pulled a ten out of her wallet. She handed the bill to Brittany and sighed, "Don't go too, far. If you don't find anything within four blocks, come back. Cranberry sauce isn't so necessary that you need to be traversing the entire city for it."

"Uh... yeah, okay," Brittany answered, shoving the ten in her pocket and hiding her slightly confused face. Santana was sure it was because she didn't know what the word traverse meant, not that it was important. In a week Brittany had already proven that she had made bounding moon leaps in organizing the information in her brain. "I'll be back soon," she said turning out of the kitchen.

Santana went back to opening the bag of potatoes and listened to hear the sound of keys being removed from the hook by the door and then the door being opened and closed. She knew she'd only have a few seconds until an entire hurricane of questions started swirling her way and she kept her full attention on the dense, brown spuds in front of her.

"Quinn will not hand over the baby," Santana heard Rachel huff and pull out a stool.

"Really?" Santana turned around from the counter to look at her.

'Deep seeded baby issues...'

"Yeah. She's probably having flashbacks," Rachel said in this way that was both blunt and sweet. It was a way that didn't make Santana want to jump across the kitchen and wring her neck because it was _not_ Rachel's place to bring that up.

"Flashbacks?" Vicky questioned, looking up from checking the turkey.

_Now_ Santana wanted to strangle her.

In the time that Quinn and Santana had been together, there had been many a Skype session with Rosa and Vicky. Out of all the things they'd talked about, Quinn's teenage pregnancy and the daughter that she gave up for adoption was not one of them.

As she caught Rachel's look of apology from across the room, she made the instantaneous decision that neither she nor Rachel should be making Vicky privy to this knowledge, "I'm not sure that Quinn would want someone other than herself to disclose that."

"Okay," Vicky answered simply and Santana was grateful that it was Vicky in the kitchen and not her Tia, because Rosa really liked to pry.

There was silence for a moment. Santana knew it was going to be short lived because despite the slight distraction that Rachel had created, it was definitely not enough.

"So," the silence was broken by Vicky's burning desire to ask something, "How's your show, Rachel?"

'What?'

"Absolutely wonderful! Amazing!" Rachel answered with her eyes full of that passion for what she loves.

"Rosa and I have been trying to plan a day that we can come and see it, but Doyle kind of makes that difficult," Vicky sighed and shrugged. As she said her son's name, however she clearly couldn't fight the smile that appeared. No matter how much stress that kid was putting on her and Rosa, neither one of them seemed to care, they were just happy that they had him.

"Well, when you do, let me know and I can get you a couple of comps. Decent ones, too. In the orchestra," Rachel said, stealing a baby carrot from the bag on the island.

Suddenly Santana had an idea, "You guys are here until Sunday aren't you?"

"We sure are, despite how difficult it is to have a baby in a hotel," Vicky said through that same smile.

"Why don't you go on Saturday? I don't have any big plans and I don't think that Quinn does either, we could babysit," Santana shrugged. She just so happened to look over her shoulder and out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of Quinn sitting on the couch with Doyle in her arms and Kurt leaning over him making faces.

"Really? You don't mind taking him for a bit?" Vicky asked with all kinds of excitement.

"I wouldn't have offered if I did," Santana smiled.

"I just asked my stage manager if there were any comps left and she said there were still some for the matinee if that's okay?" Rachel looked up from her phone with a half smile that Santana could tell was trying hide disappointment. She wasn't sure why it was there, but it was and that wasn't good.

"That's perfect!" Vicky answered and didn't wait a single second to make her way into the living room, "Honey! We're going to Rachel's show on Saturday!"

"What's wrong, Rach?" Santana whispered as she approached her.

"We can't bring a four-month-old to a theatre, V," Santana heard her Tia deadpan.

"It's nothing," Rachel whispered back.

"Santana offered her wonderful babysitting skills," Vicky peaked her head into the kitchen briefly.

"She what?" Quinn was clearly caught off guard.

Suddenly Santana was torn between the living room and the kitchen. Rachel was lying and Quinn was surprised. Who was she supposed to talk to?

"It's just that..." looks like she was staying in the kitchen, "...besides New Year's, this is like, the biggest weekend for tourism in the city, we shouldn't have comps left... we shouldn't even have comps."

Rachel was a worrier. Usually Santana was really good at quelling the worry, but this was a little different; she knew nothing about how Broadway worked.

"This is the weekend that the stage manager should be saying, 'tough shit that your family wants to see the show this weekend, they should have bought a ticket,' not that there are still some left," Rachel's worry got a little louder and more frantic.

"Rach, I'm sure everything is fine-"

"But what if it isn't?"

"Don't think about it!" Santana grabbed her shoulders and bent down to look her directly in the eyes, "the show is great. You've been getting great reviews and selling out nearly every single night. This is just one little hiccup. Don't let it fuck everything up for you."

After a deep breath and a long blink, "Yeah. You're right. Thanks."

"Always," Santana whispered. "I'm going to hug you now," she smiled and before Rachel could say that was her line, she wrapped her arms around her and pulled her into a tight embrace.

"Aww, best friends," Vicky teased as she returned to the kitchen.

"Ew! Get your lez hands off of me, Lopez!" Rachel said unable to finish it without spitting out a laugh.

"Pfft... you wish you could have these around you everyday, RuPaul," Santana returned.

"You two are something else," Vicky laughed and took up the potatoes that Santana had abandoned, "Oh, Rachel, Quinn finally handed Doyle over to Kurt if you want to try and get a turn."

"Ooo! Sorry, Santana, adorable baby trumps best friend," Rachel shrugged and shuffled out of the kitchen.

"You two are hilarious together! I cannot believe you hated each other in high school," Vicky mused from her potato peeling.

"We were both a lot different. She was a really high-strung, unpopular nerd and I was an absolute bitch," Santana sighed and rolled her eyes, "and she always knew who she was. I was _so_ jealous of that. She had parents that supported who she was and what she wanted. I didn't have that in high school."

"Me neither," Santana's favorite voice appeared behind her, "that's part of why we wanted to make her life miserable. And now of course we've apologized profusely for it."

"And your lives are different. You're both so much more mature than you were back then," Vicky smiled, "not that I knew you back then Quinn, but I know how mature you are now."

"Thanks, Vicky," Quinn blushed, "Umm... can I help with anything?"

"Trying to get out of clean up duty?" Santana nudged her a little before going to check on the turkey.

"Maybe..."

"Think you can handle the vegetables?" Vicky asked.

"Depends. What do I have to do?" Quinn asked nervously biting down on her lip in the most adorable way that made Santana just want to kiss her.

"Push buttons on the microwave," Vicky answered with a smile.

"Done!" Quinn jumped up from her stool and started gathering the bags of vegetables that were on the island. Just when Santana thought Quinn couldn't get any cuter, she did things like that and shattered the adorable meter in her brain.

"So..."

'Oh, here it comes...'

"How's the living situation going?"

'And there it is.'

"We're dying to know," Rosa's voice came in from the living room.

"Shouldn't one of you be in there with your son?" Santana questioned, hoping that Rosa would go back and the one that loves to pry the most wouldn't be in on this conversation.

"Rachel and Kurt are capable of holding a baby," Rosa scoffed and took a seat at the table.

Santana rolled her eyes and wished she had something to do with her hands. Somehow, all of the jobs that could be done at the moment were taken. She huffed and then decided to answer, "It's awkward... more times than not."

"It's not that bad," Quinn said over her shoulder, giving Santana an eye quirk.

"Not for you. It was a lot easier for you two to fall back into a friendship. You didn't break up," Santana responded with a little more resentment than she had intended.

"Do you think maybe," Rosa broke in, probably sensing the unnecessary tension appearing, "you just don't remember _how_ to be just friends with her?"

'Well, that's an interesting thought.'

So interesting that Quinn turned back from the microwave that she had been intent on staring at since Santana's outburst.

"I never really thought about it that way," Santana answered in a sort of mumble.

"I mean, you've told me that you had feelings for Brittany for a _long_ time. Maybe you _never_ really knew how to be friends with her," Rosa was starting to make a whole lot of sense and Santana knew it. Quinn knew it, too, Santana could tell by the way she couldn't tear her eyes away from her Tia and how her jaw was hanging slightly open.

Vicky had a little to add as well, "Even when she didn't know how you felt and you were hiding your feelings, don't you think that maybe all of your actions towards her were driven by how you secretly felt."

"Whoa," Quinn breathed from her corner.

"Did you like, know that Brittany was going to offer to get the cranberry sauce? You two planned this, I know it," Santana didn't know how to get out everything that she was thinking and she stopped when she realized she wasn't really making sense.

"We might have discussed it on the way down, but we didn't know we'd be able to bring it up so soon. We really did forget the cranberry sauce," Vicky said clearly still annoyed with herself.

"Why didn't I think of that?" Quinn mumbled blatantly in her own world of thought.

"Because you aren't a psychiatrist like Vicky," Santana scoffed.

"Dr. Ortiz at your service," Vicky nodded and smiled then went back to cutting the potatoes.

"You guys have to start over," the blonde in the corner spoke up again.

"What?" Santana questioned incredulously, "That's absurd!"

"No, Tana, she's absolutely right," Rosa reinforced to her completely awestruck niece.

'No way,' Santana thought. How could they possibly _start over_? They'd been through way too much together _and_ apart to just erase over seven years of their lives. "That's impossible," Santana shook her head adamantly.

"Do you want to be friends with her again?" Vicky asked softly and sweetly.

"Yes," she answered without hesitation. She wasn't sure of much but in the last two weeks, she'd definitely come to that conclusion.

"Then it's not impossible," Vicky assured her just as the door opened.

"I found some! I had to go five blocks away but I think it was worth it... umm... I've clearly missed something..." Brittany's excitement over her find was lost the instant she found four serious looks in the kitchen.

"Nope! You have missed not a thing, Miss Pierce!" Rosa rescued the room. She got up from her seat and took the bag containing the canned gelatinous substance from Brittany and placing it on the table, "You are actually just in time to tell Vicky and me _all_ about Alvin Ailey! Santana and Quinn are going to take care of the potatoes and the bird," she winked at Vicky and then began to lead Brittany out of the kitchen.

"Sorry girls, famous dance companies trump mashed potatoes," Vicky shrugged as she wiped her hands on a dish towel. She walked towards the living room and then turned, "Don't worry, I'll be back."

"Great," Santana huffed as she walked over to the sink.

"So... what do you think?" Quinn wasted no time bringing up what her aunts had so thoughtfully laid out for her.

"I'm trying not to."

"Why?" Quinn pried, getting closer to the sink.

Santana looked over to Quinn. She had that 'you don't really have to answer' look on her face that made it impossible for Santana _not_ to answer. Trying not to think was her default, though. When other people hit a little too close to home, turning off her brain was the best way to deal with it.

"Because they're right," Santana answered flatly, "I don't know how to be her friend. At least not a friend that isn't in love with her."

"You do love her, though," Santana instantly recoiled at that statement, "Babe, you wouldn't have offered the spare room to her if you didn't. I know you aren't still in love with her, but you can't tell me that you don't still care about her."

"You're right," she sighed.

"I know that starting over won't be easy with what you two have been through, but you've been apart for so long, you're both very different people. Maybe if you start by getting to know the 'new yous,' it won't be so hard," Quinn suggested. As she spoke she moved even closer to Santana and when she got there, she tucked a stray piece of hair that had fallen out of Santana's loose ponytail behind her ear.

After reveling in the brief sensation of Quinn's skin on her own, Santana answered, "I could try that."

"That's all you need to do," Quinn leaned in and brought their lips together for a moment, then she lightly pressed their foreheads together, "try."

"I don't know what I'd do without you," Santana whispered, her eyes still closed from the kiss.

"I ask myself the same thing about you every day," Quinn admitted and kissed Santana again.

They let this kiss linger a little longer, just long enough to get caught.

"Get a room!"

Quinn laughed and looked over Santana's shoulder, "We are in a room, Britt."

* * *

**A/N: Updates two days in a row! What? Who am I? Just someone who had the day off yesterday and decided that she was going to write during work today instead of work... oops. Well, anyways, hoped you enjoyed Thanksgiving! As per usual feel free to leave me your thoughts.**


	21. In Need of Rescue

November 2015, New York City  
Amidst A Lot of Noise and A Lot of Bodies

"Give her this," Quinn handed Brittany the Jack and Diet she had just ordered then looked beyond her to the DJ booth, "and when you get to the bouncer, tell him that this is for Santana, don't say a word about her DJ name."

"Okay..." Brittany answered hesitantly and looked behind her at the gigantic crowd of people dancing to the mash-up blaring through the speakers. As much as she loved a good club night, tonight was a little different. Tonight, she was going to re-introduce herself to Santana. It was a sneak attack, totally Quinn's idea and she still wasn't sure how she felt about it.

Quinn was absolutely convinced that this was the way to get it all to work out. On the walk and into the train ride to the club, Quinn theorized that the two of them needed to get to know the person the other has become in the last three years without any mention of the person they knew in the past. While it made perfect sense, Brittany wasn't sure that forgetting the past was that simple... or even possible. But of course, Brittany was willing to try anything to woo her way back into a friendship with Santana, even if the plan was a little crazy.

So, there she was, walking along the wall between the searchers and the found, making her way to a gigantic bouncer named Berto, all the while thinking of a greeting that didn't make it sound like she was hitting on Santana. Thus far, everything she'd come up with sounded like she was trying to get into Slo-Pez's pants, which couldn't be further from the truth.

"Hi," she yelled when she got to the bouncer that was even bigger now that she was up close.

"Can I help you?" he yelled back without any amusement whatsoever.

"Uhh..." Brittany paused, intimidated to the point where she forgot why she was even there.

"Wait!" he yelled again, "You're Brittany!"

'Two can play that game,' Brittany thought quickly after she was taken aback by the fact that he knew her name, "Berto!"

He laughed and then stepped to the side, "I'd shake your hand but they're both full! I'll get the door for you." He gestured for her to pass by and then reached past her, opening the door to the DJ booth, "Hope to see you again soon!"

"Same here," she said over her shoulder as she entered the booth. Once she was there she was instantly mesmerized. There was so much equipment and Slo-Pez was the epitome of 'sexy swag' standing at the helm of it all. She wasn't really sure how to get the headphone clad DJ's attention so she just stood back against the wall and watched, hoping that she would turn around.

As she stood against the wall, she couldn't help but move along to the music as she slowly sipped on her cherry vodka and Coke. The music wasn't as loud up in the DJ booth as it was on the dance floor, but it was still enough to get into it. After a while she didn't even notice that her eyes were closed and so when Santana yelled, "Holy fuck!" she was completely caught off guard.

"Hey! Uh... your girlfriend said you like these," Brittany finally came up with the right greeting.

"Jack and diet?" she asked as she took the offered drink.

"Yup..." Brittany took a deep breath in preparation for what she was about to do next, "I'm Brittany by the way." She held out her hand and tried not look awkward as she felt.

Despite her slightly squinted eye and cocked head, Santana still took Brittany's hand and said slowly, "Santana..."

"It's nice to meet you-"

"Did Quinn put you up to this?" Santana's chin came back down to it's normal position but her eye stayed slightly squinted, letting Brittany know that she was clearly annoyed.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Brittany replied and took a much larger sip of her drink than she had been taking previously.

Santana huffed and then smiled, "it's nice to meet you, too. Hold on a sec!" She lifted her headphones back up onto her ears, put her drink down on a table set away from the electronics and turned back to the equipment. With one hand on her lap top and the other with fingers strategically placed below, she flawlessly switched from one mash-up to another.

"Wow," Brittany breathed as she watched it all unfold in front of her.

"So, Berto didn't give you any trouble I see," Santana picked up her drink and took a sip. Brittany could still see the smirk even with her lips curled around the tiny stirring straw.

She wanted to say that he already knew who she was, but that would mean that Santana already knew who she was, but as of tonight, according to Quinn's plan, she didn't. She had established that she knew her girlfriend, though... "Quinn told me to use your real name and it works 99.5% of the time."

That wasn't entirely a lie...

"How long have you known Quinn?" Santana asked, leaning in a little further so she didn't have to yell as loud.

This is where she needed to be creative. Santana thought she was being clever and she was clearly underestimating Brittany's abilities. Brittany would have none of that, "Since high school, but we haven't seen each other for a while. She's changed a lot. For the better. It's really great." She took a sip of her drink but kept her eyes glued to Santana's. She wanted so badly to convey that she wanted to give this a shot; temporarily erasing the past. If they really committed to it, it might actually work.

Suddenly, Santana's facial expression changed from her amused smirk to something that Brittany couldn't read. She wasn't too sure, but Brittany thought that Santana might have been silently agreeing with her... not with her statement about Quinn, but what she didn't say.

"You know," Santana smiled as she leaned in just a little bit closer, "for weeks now Quinn's been telling me that she thinks we'll be really great friends."

"Funny," Brittany smiled back, "she's been saying the same thing to me."

...{ }...

As she watched the DJ booth from a bar stool located as close to the end as she could get without turning on the HBIC attitude that she abhorred, Quinn couldn't help but smile at her own work. Clearly she had no idea what was actually going on, but she could tell that Santana wasn't too angry, because Brittany was still in the booth. She did have the lingering suspicion that her girlfriend was going to be quite pissed at her, though.

However, if things were going as well as they looked like they were, Santana being angry with her for a little while, would be completely worth it.

"She's hot," an unfamiliar voice yelled into her ear from behind her.

Quinn rolled her eyes and without looking away from the booth she replied, "Everyone thinks Slo-Pez is hot!"

"No! I mean the blonde in there with Santana!"

'What the fuck?'

She was positive that she hadn't used her real name. If there was anything she didn't do was say the name "Santana" to strangers. Quinn turned her body slightly so that she could see face to this mystery voice and before she could say anything to the tall brunette standing closer to her than she would like, the brunette beat her to it, "Quinn, right?"

'Seriously, what the fuck?'

"Depends," Quinn responded with some of that HBIC flickering on, "who are you?"

"Hayley," she leaned back away from Quinn's ear and offered her hand. Quinn suppressed a gag when her fingers were grabbed instead of her whole hand... like a real handshake should go.

And then the name hit her.

"You just figured out who I am," she yelled, leaning back in towards Quinn. When she came back, there was quite the unpleasant smirk on her face.

Quinn distinctly remembered Santana saying that only Mackenzie was the bitch ex and that Hayley was the sweet one. Hayley was the one that despite getting treated somewhat poorly by Santana, was still civil with her.

This didn't seem civil.

"Clearly Santana's been honest with you," she yelled through the same smirk.

'Why haven't I said anything?'

"Oh my god! Quinn!" a brand new voice yelled at her from her left.

'What the fuck now?'

She looked towards the voice and was met with a lot of long, curly, highlighted hair and Halle Berry skin. Before she could even react she was wrapped up in a hug and simultaneously felt something drop into her lap. As she was released from the grip of this random girl, she looked down and saw the lit screen of a phone. She was staring down at yellow lines and words.

"Hey, you dropped..." she didn't want to be nosy but when she saw her name clear as day on the top she had to read it:

**Hey Quinn!**

**Dez.  
****Brittany's friend.  
****You look uncomfortable.  
****And in need of rescue.**

"...your phone," she finished as Dez took it back from her.

"Do you two know each other?" Hayley yelled looking between them with a look of doubt on her face.

Hayley was not the sweet girl that Santana had painted her to be. At all.

"Yeah! We go way back!" Dez answered with a huge smile that was almost working to convince Quinn that they already knew each other, "Hey, you wanna go outside and have a cigarette?"

"I don't..." Quinn started, but caught Dez's slight eyebrow furrow, "... have any... more... left."

'Awesome cover,' Quinn thought and imagined rolling her eyes at herself.

"Not a problem! You can bum one of mine," she grabbed Quinn's hand and quickly pulled her off of her stool, "It was nice to meet you."

"Hayley," she held out her hand to Dez who just looked at it.

"That's nice," Dez mouthed and then let this beyond awesome, evil smirk play onto her lips, "Come on, Quinn!"

Before she knew it, Quinn was being dragged into the crowd full of discombobulated motion. She didn't think to look back to make sure that Hayley wasn't following them until they were nearly out of the mess. She wasn't following them. When she looked in front of her again, they were already at the door and then out of it, in the brisk November night.

"I've never been out here before," Quinn said as soon as the door was closed behind them and while she looked around at the people smoking around them.

"Me neither," Dez shrugged and then laughed a little, "Who the hell was that?"

"My girlfriend's ex," Quinn sighed and leaned against the freezing brick wall. She really despised coming to the club in the cold. Since she refused to check a coat, she didn't bring one, so she always suffered the consequences.

"Another one?"

"Wow," Quinn didn't make any effort to hide her mild surprise, "You know a lot, don't you?"

"To be fair," Dez held up her hands, "Brittany showed me your Facebook so that I'd have a better chance of finding you guys tonight."

"One hundred percent acceptable," Quinn shivered slightly.

"And the other stuff-"

"Don't worry about it," Quinn interrupted and pushed herself off of the wall that refused to accept her body heat and let up on the frozen act, "it's Brittany's information and she has a right to do with it as she pleases. And I'm glad she has someone to talk to that isn't me."

Dez laughed a little and after blowing into her cupped hands said, "Oh man, you're totally stuck in the middle of it all aren't you?"

"You have no idea," Quinn sighed out a laugh.

"I have _so_ much respect for you," Dez shook her head a little and smiled, "I don't think I'd let my significant other's ex stay in my apartment."

"Well, Brittany's my friend," Quinn shrugged.

"Still..."

"I know, it's just... they used to be really great friends, you know, before... I just think they could be friends again... without the sex..."

'Why am I saying so much?'

"Thanks for saving me, by the way," Quinn felt like changing the subject slightly, "and just so you know, if you were in the same situation and I had known who you were, I definitely would have done the same thing."

"Why, thank you."

"Um... I don't know if you noticed, but Brittany is in the booth with Slo-Pez," Quinn said turning towards the door thinking that it had been plenty of time to have completely lost Hayley.

"I did notice and I'll be honest, I was a smidge disappointed for completely selfish reasons," Dez shook her head slightly and looked down towards the ground as she walked forwards to follow Quinn back inside.

"Well," Quinn opened the door, "perhaps we should interrupt them." She turned back around and laughed to herself.

...} {...

Santana was pissed.

It wasn't showing and she wasn't letting it out on her present company, but she was _so_ pissed.

What was Quinn thinking? Sending Brittany up with a drink and a clean slate. Just because she agreed to it did not mean that she was ready for it. She definitely wasn't ready for Brittany to be so good at not mentioning a damn thing about anything from three years and eighty-six days before and beyond. Not a single inkling. No matter how many tricky questions she asked. Once Santana realized that she wasn't going to get Brittany to break, she stopped asking the questions and concentrated more on her job. After that, they didn't talk very much because truthfully, it wasn't very easy to talk in the booth.

Interestingly enough though, this whole Tabula Rasa plan was kind of working. Santana actually didn't feel the need to get Brittany out of the booth which would have gone right along with need to avoid her that she had been experiencing the previous few weeks.

Despite this though, she was still mad at Quinn.

"These are so good," Brittany yelled as she pressed her headphones onto her ears and executed moderated dance moves.

Santana laughed as she looked between her lap top and Brittany. Brittany's eyes were closed as she was dancing with the headphones still pressed tightly to her ears so in order to get her attention, Santana had to tap her shoulder, "Are you babysitting with us tomorrow?"

"I'd love to, if you don't mind!" Brittany yelled back.

Before tonight, she would have said that she did, but now, "Of course I don't mind!"

"Thanks!" Brittany yelled back then looked back down to the equipment spread out in front of them. She pressed the headphones back to her ears and went back to that place where she was before with just the music and her miniaturized dancing.

After a silent laugh, she went back to concentrating on her job again. Usually when she was up in the booth by herself, she'd just let herself get into the mixes as she spun them. She liked them all. She wouldn't play something for a big crowd that she didn't approve of. It was really only natural that she danced a little. This was a fun job... aside from all of the time it took... and how late she had to be out Friday nights. Okay, the six hours that she was in the booth were fun and she had no problem letting everyone see it. Tonight would be no different even if there was someone else with her.

"Oh shit!" she whipped around after feeling something grab her shoulder... she was really into the track she was playing.

"Sorry, babe!"

"You can't do that shit, Q!"

She was still pissed at her.

"AAAAHHHH Dez! You made it!" Brittany screamed as she yanked her headphones off of her ears and sprang forward to wrap her arms tightly around the girl that had accompanied Quinn into the booth.

Santana's eyebrow quirked up instantly and Quinn leaned into her, "Dance in her DNA..."

"Oooh. Got it," she stood back a little and watched some more of the interaction between the two dancers. Brittany was showing the excitement she always showed when she was greeting people she liked. Dez, Brittany's seriously attractive friend from her dance company, was all smiles. If Santana wasn't mistaken, it wasn't your average "I'm happy to see you, too" smile, though.

The booth wasn't really lit that well, so perhaps she was seeing things.

"Hey, I'm gonna go dance with Quinn and Dez," Brittany yelled to Santana after a little bit of conversing them.

"No problem!" she said through a smile, "Have fun!" And then, her arms went up in that way that signals an offering of a hug. She hadn't really thought about, it just kind of happened. Brittany was already walking towards her making it impossible to take it back and before she knew it, she was being wrapped up in a big Brittany hug.

"Thanks for this! It was really fun!"

It wasn't awkward.

Santana was certain that the instant Brittany's arms were around her there was going to be an instant rewind, like taking the scrubber on a YouTube video and dragging it right back to the beginning.

"It was!" she answered, "Maybe tomorrow we'll actually get to talk."

They let go at an approximate time when a hug is still simply friendly and once they were completely apart, Brittany nodded and smiled.

"I probably won't see you guys 'til tomorrow. It was nice to meet you Dez! Sort of!"

"Same here!" Dez answered extending her hand to Santana. After the brief handshake, she turned to Brittany, grabbed her hand and then led... pulled her out of the DJ booth.

That left Santana and Quinn.

"I love you," Quinn mouthed to Santana and lightly scratched the back of her hand with one of her fingers.

"I love you, too, but I am _not_ happy," Santana replied, crossing her arms and furrowing her brow.

"I can handle that," Quinn smiled and reached out to hold Santana's index finger with her own, "See you around five, beautiful?"

"Berto's walking me home," Santana assured her through her still furrowed brow.

Maybe she wasn't really _that_ mad.

"Good!"

* * *

**A/N: I am on a freakin' roll with these updates! I'm surprising myself! Thanks all of you that have stuck around! Thanks for all of your great comments, too. I can't wait to hear what you all have to say about this one!**


	22. Safety In Numbers

November 2015, New York City  
Still Surrounded By Noise and Bodies

Quinn stepped out of the DJ booth and into the somewhat sweaty air radiating off of the dance floor. The dance floor that she was sure she had lost Brittany and Dez to.

Maybe someone who was over six feet tall could help her.

"Hey Berto!" she yelled from behind him on the steps. Even standing on a step up her eyes only met his shoulders.

"Hey Quinn!" he responded without turning his head. She wasn't offended by the lack of eye contact, he was busy doing his job of keeping the crazies away from her girlfriend.

"You wouldn't happen to be able to see Brittany and her friend, would you?"

She watched his head scan the floor from left to right. It stopped when he was looking approximately under the DJ booth. He leaned forward a little and from what little of his face that she could see from this angle, she could tell that he was squinting, "They're over there," he pointed out to exactly where Quinn had seen his gaze stop, "just out from under the booth."

Following his extended arm, Quinn found the girls right where Berto said they were.

"Brittany seems like fun," Berto yelled back as they watched them for a moment.

"She is!"

"That Dez girl seems to think so, too!" he looked back for a second with a quirked up eyebrow. As soon as Quinn had seen the look, he went right back to scanning the crowd again.

"You see it, too?" Quinn yelled with shock and smacked his shoulder with the back of her hand, "Ow!"

"I don't know why you and your girl insist on smacking my arms as if I don't work out every day," he crossed his arms and shrugged his shoulders.

"Well, I'm glad those arms will around to walk her home! Thank you!"

"De nada, Q! She might look tough, but she's still little!" he looked back at her for second, "Besides, it's like my job to protect her!"

"Do you mind if I stay here for a little bit?" she asked leaning up against the wall.

"Nope," he shrugged and then looked back over to where Brittany and Dez were dancing, "I'll let you know if they evacuate the dance floor!"

After chuckling at his corny reference that made it clear that he'd spent _way_ too much time in dance clubs, she replied, "Thanks!"

As she leaned up against the carpeted wall, she suddenly felt quite sleepy. Of course the music was just loud enough in the stairway to keep her from actually falling asleep. Well, that and thoughts like, 'I wonder if Dez really does have a crush on Brittany?' 'Does Brittany feel the same?' 'If she does, what havoc could that reap?' and 'Why is the wall carpeted in the stairway?'

"Hey, Q?" Berto reached back and waved his giant hand at her, his voice thick with urgency.

Pushing herself off of the floor wall, "Are they moving?"

"Definitely," Quinn couldn't see his face but she could hear the smile... perhaps even a smirk.

She leaned forward a little bit and placed her hands on Berto's shoulders in order to look past the wall better, "Oh my god!" Berto was right, they were definitely moving... and touching.

"That's so hot!"

Quinn refrained from injuring her hand again on his arm and decided that flicking his ear would be much more effective.

"Ow! Damn, Quinn! Gimme a break! I'm a guy!" he looked back briefly as he rubbed his ear. Then, at the same time, they both looked back to Brittany and Dez who seemed to be even closer somehow. Dez's back was turned to Brittany, one of her hands was pulling down on the back of Brittany's neck and the other was on top of one of Brittany's hands that were both on Dez's hips.

"Close your mouth, Quinn!"

"Shut up, Berto!"

He was right, it was hot. It was really hot. And Santana could not know about it. Not yet at least. Santana couldn't know about it until Quinn could confirm what it was. If Quinn knew anything about Brittany, it was that she liked... loved to dance. Brittany loved to dance with anyone, whether or not there were emotions involved. So this could be anything.

"You can_not_ say anything about this to Santana!" she shook her head vigorously with her hands still on his shoulder. Just as she finished saying it, Dez turned around and brought both of her arms up to Brittany's shoulders. They were still impossibly close to each other, now straddling each other's legs.

"Trust me, I won't," Berto said slowly, looking up as if he were looking into the DJ booth.

"Oh shit they're moving!"

"I think we've established that!"

"No!" Quinn yelled, "They're _actually_ moving. Like, towards the bar! I gotta go!" She backed off of Berto and then ducked down to get off of the stairs.

"See ya!"

"Oh!" Quinn stopped herself and spun back around, "She's pissed at me! Ask her about it and then talk some sense into her!" Without waiting for a response she turned back around and started on her journey to the bar.

"Uhh... that's Rachel's job!" she heard him holler at her from his post.

Stopping briefly, she turned around and pouted, "Please? Rachel has two shows tomorrow!"

Berto merely scowled.

"Best. Bro. Ever." Quinn screamed at him and restarted her journey to the bar... and who knows what.

...} {...

Dez was a really great dancer... all the time. Brittany had learned from experience that not all great dancers were great all the time. She had witnessed far too many people that were amazing at choreography but completely uncoordinated on the dance floor. When she did find herself with someone that was fantastic at both, she was always drawn to them. It wasn't always sexual, it was kind of like the way that an intellectual craves conversation with another that was on their level. That was actually how she looked at dancing with someone else, like having a conversation.

Tonight, she and Dez had a really great conversation. An unexpectedly great conversation. It was so unexpected, Brittany was actually a little confused.

"What do you want?" Dez yelled to her as they approached the bar. The bar was lit a little differently than rest of the gigantic room. It was a little more consistent which made it easier to see things like the thin layer sweat that made Dez's already gorgeous skin glisten...

"Uh... cherry vodka and Coke," Brittany shouted to her.

Dez rolled her eyes playfully and smiled, "I knew it!" She then turned around and approached the crowded bar.

Brittany stayed back figuring it made more sense spatially.

"Hey, B!"

"Quinn! I thought we lost you!" she threw her arms around her friend and felt her laugh under them.

"I was hanging out with Berto for a bit. I saw you guys though," Quinn popped up her eyebrows and gestured towards the bar, specifically Dez.

"Well, you know me," Brittany shrugged, "I'll dance with anyone that can keep up with me!" She wasn't lying, but she wasn't entirely sure if she was telling the entire truth though. If she didn't know, no one else needed to either.

"Exactly my reason for staying away!" Quinn returned with another laugh.

"Shit!" Dez yelled when she approached them, "I'm sorry, Quinn! I totally would have gotten you a drink if I'd known you were here!"

"It's cool! I have to go soon anyways!" Quinn answered with a little wave of her hand.

"You can't go back by yourself!" Brittany blurted out. It was like, one in the morning. There was no way she was going to let Quinn go back to the apartment by herself. "I'll leave when you leave."

"It's going to be soon! Someone has to be awake when Rosa and Vicky get there with Doyle! I'm thinking Miss Slo-Pez will not be that person!"

"Let me just finish this," Brittany lifted her drink and then sucked it down through the straw way too fast.

"Wow," Dez said and then let her jaw hang open for a little.

Brittany merely shrugged and then asked, "Coming?" The instant it left her mouth her brain went all guttery. For the umpteenth time, she shook it away. Then she watched as Dez finished off her drink, placed the cup on the nearest table and then nodded her head.

Without saying anything, they all headed for the stairs that would lead them out of the multi-story downtown club. She wasn't sure about the other girls, but Brittany was tired of screaming over the music.

"Wait, you live _up_town, you can't go back by yourself either!" Brittany said to Dez the instant she remembered where Dez told her she lived, which was the moment they stepped outside and she realized they were going home.

"I'll be fine-"

"Yeah, B's right, you shouldn't go that far, this late, alone. You should stay at our place tonight. We have plenty of couch space," Quinn offered with a smile.

"Oh please! She doesn't have to sleep on a couch! I have a queen-sized bed!" Brittany scoffed, not really thinking about what that implied until after she had said it.

"Or that..." Quinn said in a tone that Brittany couldn't distinguish.

"You guys sure?"

"Yeah, of course," Quinn answered picking up her walking pace a bit. She was probably cold, with her lack of coat and all.

They all matched Quinn's pace and got to the subway quite quickly. The worst part about going home this late was the wait in the subway. When the girls got down the stairs, through the turnstiles and down some more stairs, Brittany was instantly reminded why she didn't want either of her friends traveling alone: creepers. It seemed like no matter what station she was at late at night, there was always at least one creep lurking around the platform.

Brittany thoroughly believed that there was safety in numbers.

Luckily, they didn't have to wait long for a train and the creepy dude in his even creepier, stereotypical trench coat stayed on the platform.

Conversation on the train was pretty light. Quinn had asked Brittany and Dez about their company and how rehearsals were going. Every once in a while Brittany was sure she had caught Dez _looking_ at her, but considering how sleepy she had been feeling, she was also pretty sure she was merely seeing things. The fact that she was sure about both of these things made it all pretty damn confusing... still.

Lost in her own thoughts, she barely noticed that they had arrived at their station. Quinn had to grab her hand and pull her out of her seat in order to get her up on time.

"Don't fall asleep on me now, B! We still have a few blocks left," Quinn shouted as they stepped onto the platform.

"I know! I'm fine!"

Within several blocks and a grand total of forty-five minutes from when they left the club, they were finally at the apartment.

"I can_not_ believe you guys live here! It's crazy expensive!" Dez exclaimed as the entered the building.

"Honestly, we probably couldn't really afford this place even splitting it between three people," Quinn shrugged as she lead them up the stairs.

"Santana's Tia owns the building," Brittany cleared up what Quinn left hanging.

"Oh. My. God. This place is amazing!" Dez gasped the instant she walked in, "It makes my little two bedroom look like a studio."

"It's not that big," Quinn shrugged as she entered hers and Santana's room.

"Uhh... clearly you haven't seen many apartments in New York," Dez deadpanned and then went right back to exploring the apartment.

"Um... that's my room," Brittany pointed to her open door, "you can put your jacket in there if you want."

"Where's your bathroom?" Dez asked after she tossed her jacket onto the chair in Brittany's room.

"It's right there," Brittany pointed, "and there's another one at the other end of the apartment."

"Shit," Dez breathed out and shook her head as she started for the closer of the two bathrooms.

The second after the door closed, "Psst!"

"Yeah?"

"C'mere!" Quinn whispered and waved her into her room.

Hesitantly Brittany complied, she knew exactly why Quinn was psst-ing and c'mere-ing her.

"I don't know, Quinn! Before you even ask, I don't know," Brittany whispered getting very close to Quinn so that she was sure Dez couldn't hear them.

"Okay," Quinn shrugged and then she got a worried look in her eyes.

"What?"

"Just... you know..." Quinn shrugged and bit down on her bottom lip nervously.

"Santana... yeah."

...{ }...

"Tired?" Berto asked as Santana slumped into one of the Astor Place wooden benches.

"That just isn't a strong enough word for what I feel right now," Santana slumped over onto Berto's shoulder.

Berto lifted his arm and wrapped it around her shoulders, "You can stay here but you can't sleep. I ain't finna carry you."

"First of all: don't ever say 'I ain't finna...' ever again and second: your pecs make an awful pillow, I couldn't fall asleep here if I tried," Santana scoffed at him in her gravelly, exhausted voice that Berto had the pleasure of hearing quite often.

"No lie, you're the only girl to ever say that to me," Berto chuckled.

"I'm the only lesbian you've ever cuddled with," Santana deadpanned.

"Sorry I can't compete with boobs," Berto snarked and then Santana started convulsing with uncontrollable laughter.

Her laughter continued until the 6 train squealed to a stop in front of them and even then as they got up and walked onto it, it persisted.

"You must be tired, that wasn't even that funny."

"I know," Santana sighed as her laughter finally died down.

"Anyways," Berto rolled his eyes, "How was booth time with Brittany? She was up there for a while."

Every other time Berto had asked her how things were going with Brittany, she'd say: "the same" and then quickly change the subject. This time she actually had something to tell him. While Berto wasn't her first choice of her best friends for going to with issues, he was a good listener and every once in awhile he had some good advice.

"Well," Santana began, "we started over."

"Huh?"

Santana sighed realizing that she was going to have explain a little further, "On Thanksgiving, my aunts explained to me that they had this theory that I've never really known how to be actual friends with Brittany because I had always had feelings for her. But now that I know I don't feel that way anymore, we should get know each other and who we are now."

"Ah, a clean slate. That actually makes a lot of sense," Berto said with his agreement face.

"I know it does and I was all for it... on my terms, but tonight she just showed up in the booth with a drink and a 'hi, I'm Brittany we've never met before,'" Santana huffed, finally able to let out some of her frustration over the issue.

"So, you guys never really discussed starting this up, she just kind of did it?"

"No, Quinn just did it," Santana knew Berto wasn't going to catch onto to this one either so she just kept going, "Brittany wasn't even in the apartment when we were talking about this with my aunts. She had no idea before tonight. Which means Quinn took it upon herself to inform Brittany of it and set it into motion without telling me."

"And now you're pissed because you couldn't start it on your own terms?" Berto clarified.

"Exactly."

"Uh huh..."

"What?"

"Nadie," Berto shrugged.

"Bull shit. I know you have something to say," Santana scoffed at him. Berto always had something to say.

"Well," he began in a 'you probably aren't going to like this' tone, "You're really good at putting things off and avoiding things all together-"

"I am not-"

"Brittany's been living in your apartment for three weeks and how often have you been _out_ of said apartment?"

"Umm..."

"And this is just a guess, but you haven't told Quinn, or anyone for that matter that you walked out of the LSAT before it even started," Berto turned in his seat to look Santana dead on.

'Fuck!'

"I hate you," she mumbled and slouched back into the seat, crossing her arms.

"Why? Because I'm right?" even though she wasn't looking at him she could feel his eyes still on her.

"Yes," she huffed.

"Look, all I'm saying is that Quinn knows you, really well. She knew that you'd never actually initiate that plan. I think you should cut her some slack and thank her for setting it into motion. I also think you should talk to someone about why you walked out of the LSAT," she finally turned to look at him just as the train was stopping at their station. She fought the tears that were building and got up to wait for the doors to open. She was way too tired to talk about all of that and she really didn't want to talk to Berto anymore.

So she didn't. They walked all the way to her corner of Canal in silence. There was literally no sound between them until they got to the door. Santana cleared her throat, looked up and asked, "Wanna crash here?"

"You sure you want me around?"

"You didn't do anything," she said as she pushed open her door, "Coming?"

"Yeah, I'll just shoot Georgia a text," he followed her in and up the steps in more silence.

Santana immediately gathered an extra pillow and blanket from the closet in the hall and handed it to Berto, "You don't mind if don't set up the couch, do you. I'm seriously about to pass out."

"Yeah, it's cool. I know my way around this piece," he smiled, "Night, bro."

Santana rolled her eyes but stepped forward and wrapped her arms Berto, "Night, B."

Berto returned the gesture and whispered, "Talk to Quinn, okay?"

"I know," she said into his big chest.

"See you in a few hours," he said when they let go and then disappeared down the hall into the living room.

Santana started yanking her clothes off in preparation for crawling into bed before she even got into the room. The instant she saw Quinn lying there asleep without her, she sped up the process and within seconds everything she had been wearing was in a messy pile on the floor. She could pick it up in the morning... well, the afternoon. It was already the morning.

Clad in merely her boxer briefs and a white tank top, she crawled into bed with Quinn. No longer upset with her, she snuggled right up to her back and wrapped her arm around her waist, tucking her hand into her shirt.

"Mmm," she heard Quinn hum.

"You awake?" Santana asked groggily. She was already fading really fast.

"Just a little," Quinn answered just as sleepily.

"Can we talk tomorrow?" Santana mumbled barely audibly.

"Mhm... always," was the last thing Santana remembered hearing.

* * *

**A/N: Why, hello there everyone! I'm spoiling you all further with another quick update. I'm not sure how much longer this is going to last, but I'm going to try and keep up this writing pace that I've got going on. Anyways, how did you all feel about the two part club fun? And of course anything else that you'd like to comment on is always welcome. Well, have a wonderful weekend!**


	23. Adultness

November 2015, New York City  
Sleepyville

From the table situated beside the bed, Quinn's phone began blaring a piano riff that woke her up every day. With a groan, she turned a little, reached over and tapped the red "snooze" in the middle of the screen.

"Nine more minutes," she mumbled as she settled her hand back onto Santana's and tightened the other girl's arm around her waist.

"Mmm," Santana hummed and nuzzled her face into the back of Quinn's neck.

Nine minutes feels like nine seconds when you're perfectly comfortable and in no time that sound that Quinn (and Santana) really hated by now was coming from her phone again. This time she slid the slider on the screen to turn the alarm off. Very slowly, Quinn began to slip out from Santana's arm.

"No," Santana groaned into Quinn's back.

"I have to. Someone has to be awake for when _your_ aunts get here with _your_ cousin," Quinn turned around to look at a still extremely exhausted looking Santana, "and clearly that won't be you."

Quinn finally managed to get out from Santana's clutches and as she did so Santana's face burrowed into Quinn's pillow and she mumbled, "They'll be yours, too, someday."

The moment those muffled words hit Quinn's ears she stopped putting her sweat pants on and turned back to look at her girlfriend whose face was still buried in her pillow.

'She's half asleep,' Quinn thought to herself after she shook her head loose of her brain's silence and then continued to put on clothing more appropriate for company than underwear and a tank top.

Once she was wearing a bra, she went for the door and just as she turned the knob, a sound came from the bed, "Q?"

Quinn took a quick, steadying breath in preparation for what was coming, turned back to see Santana rubbing her eyes and propping herself up on her elbow, "Yeah?"

"I still have to talk to you about something," Santana said groggily with one eye open and the other scrunched closed.

"Okay, babe," Quinn responded airily, "After you get some more sleep. Five hours isn't really healthy."

"Okay, beautiful. You're the best," Santana mumbled as she reburried herself in the bed.

"Hey babe," Quinn whisper yelled back to Santana.

"Mhm?"

As her girlfriend removed the blanket from her face, Quinn walked back to the bed and as soon as she got there and Santana's face was fully uncovered she said, "_You're_ the best," put her hand her cheek and kissed her.

"I love you."

Quinn kissed Santana's forehead and replied, "And I love you. Now go to sleep for real this time."

"Okey dokey."

As she turned to leave the room, Quinn laughed silently to herself. Quietly, she opened the door and turned to silently close it. When she turned back she crashed right into another human.

"I am _sooo_ sorry!" Dez blurted out as she shook some desheveled curls out of her face. She looked absolutely mortified made one hudred percent clear by the pink in her cheeks and the hands that went quickly from steadying Quinn's shoulders to the pockets of her borrowed sweatpants.

"It's totally cool," Quinn laughed, "I think I walked into you to be completely honest."

Dez laughed nervously as she removed her hands from her pockets. She then stepped over and motioned for Quinn to continue down the hallway.

"Thanks," Quinn laughed again and moved towards the bathroom.

"Oh," Dez stopped Quinn, "that bouncer from the club is sleeping on your couch," she pointed down the hall in the direction of the living room and then continued on her way back into Brittany's room.

'Oh great,' Quinn thought to herself as entered the bathroom.

... { }...

There might have been a chance that Brittany was a little tipsy last night. She wasn't blackout drunk, but she drank down her third cocktail really fast and by the time she'd gotten home she could feel it. She remembered everything that happened perfectly, though. Which means she was sure that she had fallen asleep with another girl in her bed... but where was that girl now

"I am _sooo_ sorry!"

'Found her,' Brittany thought as she laughed to herself and turned onto her back and then she panicked, 'why is she sorry?'

"Totally cool. I think I walked into you to be completely honest," Brittany heard Quinn through her door.

'Oh good... wait, what?' Brittany wasn't sure why she was so relieved or why she panicked in the first place for that matter. Dez is her friend and Quinn extended the invitation for her to stay...

"Thanks."

"Oh, that bouncer from the club is sleeping on your couch."

'Jeez, it's like a halfway house for tired homies.'

"Morning," a smiling, pink cheeked Dez said as she walked through the door.

"Hey," Brittany responded, sitting up and crossing her legs, "Sleep well?"

"I did," Dez smiled and matched Brittany's sitting position at the other end of the bed, "Usually when I have a few drinks in me I fall asleep pretty quickly."

"Same here."

"Close proximity to a pretty girl helps, too..."

'Uhhh...' maybe she wasn't imagining things last night...

Immediately Dez fell over on the bed with laughter, "Oh my god! Your face!"

If Brittany wasn't confused before, she sure was now! Hesitantly she laughed along.

"Britt I was totally joking! Come on, you're usually so good at picking up my sarcasm," Dez said in the remainder of her laughter as she sat back up.

"It's early," Brittany shrugged and attempted to cover.

"It's like, ten," Dez laughed a little and quirked up her eyebrow a la Quinn.

"Wait, seriously?" Brittany found the perfect opportunity to change the subject, "Santana's aunts are gonna be here soon with their son! Oh my god you have to meet him! He's so adorable!

"Santana has gay aunts?"

"Yeah, they're kind of like her parents..." she wasn't supposed to know that anymore "... I mean, I don't know..."

"Uhh, are you okay? You're acting weirder than normal this morning?" Dez asked with a more concerned eyebrow quirk this time.

"Yeah, it's just-"

"Is it because of that comment I made? Because I forget that my sarcasm sounds real sometimes. I really shouldn't subject people to it first thing in the morning," Dez ranted quickly and nervously.

"No," Brittany answered without haste, "it's just that... umm... Santana and I started this... thing last night."

"Uh... you're gonna have to give me more than just the word 'thing' because that could be anything."

"Huh? Oh," she realized what Dez was implying, "it's nothing like that! No way!"

"Okay," Dez chuckled, "then what's this 'thing' you guys started last night?"

"We're pretending that we'd never met before last night," Brittany answered slowly. She knew this would get the gears in Dez's head grinding. As soon as it was all out of her mouth she could see it happening.

"You guys realize that you're living in the same apartment right? If I'm not mistaken, you even share a wall," she threw her thumb towards said wall to emphasize her point, "Don't you think that kind of complicates it?"

"I..." Brittany didn't have a retort, Dez was absolutely right, "I didn't think about that."

"I'm not saying I think the plan is bad, I actually think it's a pretty good one. I just think that living together would make it difficult to execute it properly," Dez shrugged, "People who don't know each other generally don't live with each other... unless you're a freshmen in college and you have a random roommate. But that's not what this is."

"And what do you propose I do? Become a squatter in the changing rooms at Alvin Ailey?" Brittany responded in a rare moment of quick wit.

"Come live with me," Dez suggested nonchalantly with a shrug.

"You live in a two bedroom and you already have a roommate...?"

"Actually, as of December first I have a two bedroom and _no_ roommate. I was informed yesterday that she's moving to Seattle," she rolled her eyes clearly annoyed with lack of time her roommate had given her.

"What? She's just up and leaving in a week?"

"Uh huh. She's already sent out like, half of her stuff. The rest she's driving out. She paid for December's rent, but still, it's the principle," Dez shook her head, "she could have at least told me she had a job interview for a company all the way across the country."

"Yeah," Brittany agreed.

"You don't have to answer yet. I do have over a month."

"I just have to talk to my parents. They're helping me out with that stuff. Um... how much would the rent be?"

"Six-fifty a month. It's a tiny place," Dez reminded her.

"I just need somewhere to live," Brittany chuckled, "size doesn't really matter."

"That's what he _wished_ she said," Dez laughed.

Brittany grabbed her pillow from behind her and tossed it right at Dez's face. She rolled her eyes after it smacked her and she continued laughing, "You're gonna love Santana."

... } {...

Quinn tried really, _really_ hard to be quiet, but of course whenever you're trying to be quiet, you cause the biggest ruckus possible. She just wanted a frying pan, just one, not all three, both cookie sheets, the muffin pan AND the grilling pan. If her girlfriend wasn't so damn good at cooking, she'd be much more annoyed at the mess on the floor.

"Sup, Quinn?"

"Dammit! I didn't want to wake you up," Quinn answered from her crouched position.

"Eh, it's okay. I've been contemplating getting up for about a half an hour now. As big and comfy as your couch is, it just isn't big and comfy enough," Berto shrugged as he entered the kitchen, "Need some help?"

"No it's okay, I only have two more," she answered with one of the two pans in her hand already.

"Slo-Pez still sleeping?"

"Probably not," Quinn answered as she stood back up, "Usually once she's awake, she's awake. I'm sure the Great Pan-slide of 2015 didn't help either." She rolled her eyes as she took the eggs out of the fridge.

"Has anyone ever told you that you're funnier than Santana?" Berto asked through chuckle.

"Oh, that's common knowledge. We just don't talk about it in front of her," Quinn snarked.

"You just did," a basketball shorts and hoodie clad, Santana said as she sauntered into the kitchen, "it's cool. I know she's really the funny one. It's because she's smarter than me. I accept it."

"You _must_ be exhausted," Berto exclaimed with all of his shock.

Santana just waved him off and put her head down on the table.

"Want some eggs?" Quinn asked the room.

"You know I can always eat," Berto answered in his usual chipper tone.

"I'll just take some caffine pills crushed up into a Red Bull," Santana answered without picking up her head.

"How does coffee sound?" Quinn asked, sliding a mug full of coffee made just the way Santana liked across the table.

"It'll do, but only because I know we don't have either of the other things," Santana answered as she picked up the mug and sniffed. After she took her first sip, "Mmm, perfect."

Through the biggest, happiest smile, Berto looked between Quinn and Santana and said, "You two are gross."

"Thank you," Quinn smiled, answering Berto but looking at her girlfriend who was so into her coffee she didn't even know what was going on around her. She laughed as she turned back to her scrambled egg concoction.

"Morning," a new voice was heard in the kitchen. Quinn turned back around to see Brittany entering the kitchen with Dez close behind.

'And it begins.'

"Hi!" Berto said with a wave and the doofiest of doofy smiles.

"Freak," Santana mumbled loud enough for everyone to hear her.

"Oh! Hi Berto! I didn't think I was gonna see you this soon!" Brittany said to Berto with her usual excitement.

"Well, here I am!" Berto threw up his arms, presenting himself, "Who's your friend, we weren't introduced last night?"

"Huh?" Santana turned around to see what Berto was talking about. She probably figured Brittany wouldn't be offended if she didn't acknowlede her with eye contact.

"This is my friend Dez. We're in a dance company together," Brittany beamed.

Dez crossed behind Santana and approached Berto with an offered hand, "It's a pleasure, Berto."

"It is all mine," Berto said all weird like he knew something. Quinn promptly glared at him over her shoulder.

"You guys want some breakfast?" Quinn asked before anyone could say anything else.

"Whatcha makin'?" Brittany asked leaning over Quinn's shoulder to look for herself.

"Scrambled eggs with bacon bits and toast. Sorry it's nothing special," she shrugged, "Cooking really isn't my thing. Saturdays are kind of lame on the breakfast front because the chef is always to tired or still sleeping at breakfast time."

"It's cool. I'm beyond grateful that I'm even getting food," Dez laughed, she turned a little, looked at Santana, and gestured to the stool next to her, "Do you mind if I sit here, DJ Slo-Pez?"

"Only if you keep calling me DJ Slo-Pez in Santana's home," she answered with a surprising smile.

"Never again," Dez said as she sat down, "Santana's home is gorgeous, by the way. And crazy gigantic. If your aunt wasn't letting you live here how much would this place be?"

"I... don't... know..."

Brittany placed some plates on the table and as she turned back to get utensils said, "I told her that this is your aunt's building last night."

"After I told her that we probably wouldn't be able to afford it if she didn't let us live here," Quinn jumped in as she put a bowl filled with eggs and a plate with cut pieces of wheat toast in the middle of the table.

"It's cool. I'll ask her when she gets here. Now I'm curious to see if we could afford it," Santana said with her plotting look.

"Sorry, I always seem to ask questions that over step my bounds a little. I don't do it on purpose, it just sort of... happens," Dez shrugged as took a plate from Brittany who had taken the seat on her other side.

"I can see why you and Brittany get along so well..." Santana said to Dez as she scooped some scrambled eggs into her plate, "...shit."

Everyone in the room knew exactly why Santana had berated herself, but no one knew how much every one else in the room knew. Cue the awkward silence.

A good minute of awkward silence, which of course, feels like an eternity.

Until finally: "Dez's roommate is moving to Seattle and she asked me if I wanted to move in with her!"

"Seriously?" Quinn was the first to respond. She knew that Brittany wasn't going to be living with them forever but she certainly didn't think that she'd be leaving this soon.

"Uh, yeah... I mean, Brittany told me this was temporary so I figured I'd ask her first," Dez shrugged but sounded a little nervous.

"That's awesome!" Santana smiled, "You gonna do it, B?"

Brittany looked beyond Dez to Santana, "I have to talk to my parents first, but yeah, I think so."

And then it was awkward again.

This time around, there was this inexplicable tension that hung around the room. This time, the awkward was interrupted by the buzzer.

"AAAHHH! The Aunts are here!" Berto jumped up from his stool and rushed out to the buzzer, "¿Que pasa, Rosa y Vicky?"

"Don't forget about Doyle!" Vicky's voice could clearly be heard through the speaker.

"Aaahhh! The little man! I'll come down to help you!" then Berto was seen racing down the hall towards the door.

"As if he lives here," Santana shrugged and shook her head, "I'll go help."

"How do you guys know him?" Dez asked after Santana had left the kitchen.

Quinn looked up from the eggs that she was finally able to start eating and answered, "They met their freshman year and they've been bros ever since. I met him originally the same way Brittany first met him," Quinn chuckled a little remembering her first time attempting to get into DJ Slo-Pez's booth.

"He seems like a good guy," Dez suggested.

Quinn smiled, "He's a good friend..." then suddenly a thought popped into her head and she didn't have time to stop herself from letting it come out of her mouth "... are you guys sure living together is such a good idea?"

Brittany suddenly looked terrified and Dez was completely clueless but they both asked, "Why?"

'Because you _like_ each other...'

"Because don't you guys already spend hours and hours together at rehearsals? Wouldn't that kind of be overkill?" Clearly that wasn't what Quinn wanted say, but it was still an equally valid point.

"We'd have separate spaces," Brittany said with a much more relaxed expression than the one she was sporting earlier.

"Yeah, and it's not like we really get a chance to like, actually socialize in rehearsals. It's pretty much all business," Dez said with a feigned serious face and looked over at Brittany with a smile that Brittany returned.

'They _sooo_ like each other.'

"Okay," Quinn shrugged.

"Why did the Hulk get the baby bag and I got the big ass baby cage?" Santana whined as she raced down the hallway to the living room with the cumbersome play pen.

"Because you took it," Berto laughed.

"He's right Tana, you took the play pen. You even said, 'don't worry bro, I got this,'" Rosa said just as was getting to the kitchen with an empty baby carrier.

"Why couldn't you just be on my side?" Santana exhaled as she reentered the kitchen.

"She's morally against lying," Vicky entered the kitchen last with Doyle in her arms.

"Oh my god! He _is_ the most adorable baby ever," Dez got up and followed the magnetic pull of the child Vicky's arms.

"Thank you," Vicky smiled.

"This is my friend Dez!" Brittany jumped up, "We're in the dance company together. Dez these are Santana's aunts, Rosa and Vicky." She pointed to the aunts respectively.

Rosa stepped up behind Vicky and extended her hand to Dez, "It's a pleasure."

"No it's all mine... ugh... this is like, the most beautiful family... I don't even know what to do with myself," Dez said as she somewhat overzealously shook Rosa's hand.

"Thank you..."

"You could hold him," Vicky interrupted her wife before she could say something... silly.

"Really?"

Vicky nodded and carefully placed the baby into Dez's arms

"Aw man, I wanted to hold him!" Berto exclaimed as he watched the transfer.

"You can! Jeez, stop whining," Santana said to him as she sat down on the furthest stool.

"Let's go in the living room and you guys can all sit with him while I set up the play pen," Rosa said guiding the two other guests out of the kitchen.

"I'm coming, too!" Brittany followed excitedly.

"Oh my goodness," Vicky laughed as she opened the up the baby bag and started pulling bottles out.

"You're telling me," Santana mumbled from her end of the table.

"Quinn, honey, can you put these in the fridge?"

"Sure."

"You should only have to give him three of those but I brought four just in case and you barely have to heat them. Just put them in the microwave for like, fifteen seconds. I'm serious," Vicky said as she dug through the bag some more.

"Is that...?" Santana started but couldn't finish.

"Breast milk?" Vicky looked up from the bag, "Yes, Santana. I'm breastfeeding."

"Ew..."

In the meantime, Quinn was absolutely beside herself with laughter. Like, sliding down the fridge because she couldn't hold herself up anymore, beside herself.

"Quinn's laughter should be an indicator of how ridiculous you're being."

"You just put boob juice in our fridge, it's not that ridiculous."

By now, Quinn was completely lying down on the kitchen floor, keeled over with laughter.

"I walk away for five seconds and you've got someone dead on the floor," Rosa reentered the kitchen gesturing towards Quinn.

"Well, your neice is approximately five and just refered to breast milk as 'boob juice,'" Vicky huffed.

Rosa let out a tiny snort and then promptly changed the subject, "Brittany's friend is sweet."

"Yeah, she's cool," Santana said with minimal emotion attached, "Oh, that reminds me, how much would you be able to rent this place out for if you weren't letting us live here?"

"First of all: Random and second: forty-five," Rosa shrugged.

"What?" Quinn rejoined the world, "You're losing forty-five hundred dollars a month!"

"Well, not really. I'm just not gaining it," Rosa shrugged again this time as she wrapped her arms around her wife's waist from behind.

Santana and Quinn gave each other clueless looks and then turned them onto Rosa, who promptly rolled her eyes, "I already own the building and I have three other tenants paying the same. Besides, I gain enough revenue from the bar and make enough money at my _actual_ job that it really isn't a big deal. And remember, originally you were working for said bar so there was a little bit of a trade."

"Oh yeah..." Santana replied guiltily.

"It's okay, Sobrina. I love you and I would do anything for you. ¿Que sabes?"

"Si, Tia. I love you, too," Santana answered with a teary voice that she was clearly trying to hide.

"And you," Rosa pointed at Quinn, "I love you, too, Quinn."

She could feel her cheeks burning. That was not something she was expecting to happen in this moment. It took her a couple seconds, but she finally managed to respond, "I love you, too, Rosa."

"As beautiful as this is and as much as I love you all, I _need_ to go check on my son," Vicky said as she rushed out of the kitchen and into the living room.

"She's been stressing out about this all morning," Rosa whispered.

"Well, how many times have you left him with a sitter?" Quinn questioned as she leaned into the table so they could all whisper and hear each other better.

"None. You guys are the first. She'll be okay. The hardest part is just going to be leaving. Once we're out of here, it'll be 100% smooth sailing."

"Hey, guys," they all turned to see Berto in the doorway, "I'm gonna head out. Georgia wants to go to Ikea and you know that takes all day."

Everyone laughed as Berto moved further into the kitchen.

"Okay, bro," Santana got up and initiated their ridiculous handshake that ends in an explosion.

"See ya, Quinn," Berto said as he wrapped her up in a gigantic hug.

"See ya, Berto."

"Rosa!" he said moving on to hug Santana's aunt.

"Always a pleasure, Berto."

"Okay, bye everyone!" Berto waved and then walked out of the kitchen into the hallway.

"I should probabaly start getting Vicky out of here," Rosa said with a slightly nervous smile. She maneuvered her way around the kitchen and into the living room leaving Quinn and Santana alone together for the first time since Quinn woke up.

"I love you," Santana sighed.

Quinn let out a silent laugh at the unexpected outburst, "I love you."

"I'm not mad at you," Santana said with a half smile as she reached out to grab Quinn's hand.

"Ah," Quinn looked up and then back down to Santana as she stepped a little closer to her, "_that's_ what you wanted to talk about."

"Huh?" Santana furrowed her brow, "Oh... no, well yeah, but that's not what I _really_ want to talk about."

"Okay...?"

"Later," Santana said looking into the living room, "when there are much less people here."

"Okay," Quinn assured Santana with a kiss on her forehead.

"But the other thing," Santana started again, "Yeah, not mad. I was, but Berto successfully talked some sense into me." She laughed and gave her girlfriend a smile that let her know that Quinn had said something Berto before she left the club last night. Quinn simply smiled back.

"It never would have gotten done if you hadn't meddled," Santana shrugged.

"It might have, but definitely not that soon," Quinn said through her ever growing smile.

"We're leaving," Vicky sighed as she entered the kitchen with everyone else in tow.

"So soon," Santana snarked looking at Rosa who returned a death glare at her neice.

"Well, we have to get all the way to 47th and we want to grab some lunch..." Vicky trailed off her sentence as she glanced back towards the living room.

"Doyle's asleep in the play pen," Rosa jumped in and began guiding Vicky towards the doorway that led to the hall, "he could wake up at any time. There are plenty of diapers and baby wipes in the bag. He has a second onsie just in case."

"He's going to be fine," Quinn smiled at Vicky and helped Rosa guide her out of the kitchen.

Before they could all leave the kitchen, Brittany and Dez entered with Brittany speaking, "I'm gonna go shower and then we're going to head out, too."

"So, you're not gonna babysit with us?" Santana asked with the most miniscule hint of hurt.

"Umm... yeah, Dez thought it would be a good idea if I saw her apartment and I thought you and Quinn might want some alone time that you never really get anymore with me around," Brittany shrugged in return.

"Oh..."

"It was really nice to meet you," Dez offered and walked towards Santana's aunts and Quinn.

"Same here," Rosa replied.

"I'm glad to see that Brittany is making friends here," Vicky said with a smile.

"We really need to leave," Rosa insisted and then began guiding Vicky out again.

Everyone filed out into the hallway and said their goodbyes quickly which assisted in Rosa's efforts of getting Vicky out of the apartment and away from their son. After they closed the door, all four girls stayed at the door to hear the footsteps make their way downstairs. At one point they stopped. They all knew that they hadn't reached the bottom yet and they all prepared for a dramatic return, but it never came. The footsteps continued down until they couldn't anymore and they were out of the building.

"I'm gonna go check on Doyle," Santana said as soon as she knew her aunts were out of the building.

"I'll come with you," Quinn said and followed her girlfriend down the hallway to the living room. When they got there and saw a still sleeping four month old, she sat down on the couch and silently invited Santana to do the same. "Still sleepy?" Quinn asked as she wrapped her arm around Santana's shoulders.

"Not really," Santana answered as she relaxed into Quinn.

"Hey, since Brittany's leaving, we'll be able to talk about that thing you wanted to talk about," Quinn said kissing Santana's head.

"Yeah," Santana said with her disappointment a lot more evident.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Quinn asked turning a little and ducking her head down meet Santana's eyes.

"I guess," Santana shrugged, "I guess I was actually looking forward to hanging out with Brittany today."

"Wait, really?" Quinn asked unable to hide her excitement.

"Yeah, really," Santana smiled, "Last night was good. I mean, I know it's going to be impossible to completely forget the past, but it will definitely be easy to concentrate on the present. We've both changed a lot and I think it'll be easier to deal with our past if we just deal with our now first."

"The adult-ness that you're showing right now, is _so_ sexy," Quinn whispered as she leaned in close to Santana's lips.

"'Adult-ness' isn't a word," Santana whispered back.

"Shut up and kiss me," Quinn ordered and hummed when Santana acquiesed. Completely forgetting that there were _any_ other people in their apartment, Quinn pulled Santana on top of her as she lowered herself down on the couch. Mere seconds after she had parted her lips to allow Santana's tongue to meet her own, the baby that they had forgotten about began wailing away in the play pen.

"I bet it's boob juice time," Santana chuckled as she slowly lifted herself off of Quinn.

"You get the kid, I'll handle the milk that you think is so vile?"

"Deal," Santana answered and walked over to the play pen, "Hey lil' cuz!" He continued to cry as she picked him up and carried him into the kitchen where Quinn was already preparing his bottle. "Okay little man, Quinn's getting you mom's... stuff... chill out!"

"Uh..." Brittany entered the slightly chaotic kitchen, "We're heading out."

"Okay, B," Santana said without looking up from the baby she was holding. She was far too busy making faces at him to look away.

"See you later?" Quinn asked as she tested the milk on her wrist, "Shit, I think this is too warm. You think this is too warm?"

"I'm not touching that stuff!" Santana shouted and backed away from Quinn.

"I'll test it," Brittany offered and held out her wrist for Quinn, "it's a little warm. Put it back in the fridge for like, thirty seconds, it'll be fine."

"Thanks, Britt."

"No problem. I'll be back in a few hours. We're just gonna grab some lunch and then check out the apartment," Brittany shrugged.

"Okay."

"I'll make dinner," Santana smiled, finally taking a break from the faces.

"That sounds great," Brittany smiled back.

"Thanks for breakfast... even though we barely had any... and for letting me crash here last night," Dez who had been silently standing next to Brittany the entire time, said to Quinn and Santana.

"Anytime," Quinn answered.

"Yeah, anytime," Santana added.

"Okay, bye guys!" Brittany said with a gigantic smile and then motioned for Dez to lead the way out.

"Bye!" Quinn and Santana said in unison and as soon as they heard the door open and close, they turned and gave each other matching, inquizitive eyebrow quirks.

"She's gonna come back and tell us that she isn't moving in with Dez. Watch," Santana said through a smirk.

Quinn simply stood there with her mouth slightly open and a little four ounce bottle of breast milk in her hand, gaping at her girlfriend.

* * *

**A/N: Just so that everyone is aware: I'm really angry at FanFiction right now. Like, _really_ angry. For some reason it decided not to let me upload this chapter so instead I had to copy and paste it in and then it didn't copy the correct format. Insert red angry face emoji here. Anyways, here it is after having to edit three times. Hope you liked it. Of course I want to hear from you.**


	24. Look At the Stairs

November 2015, New York City  
Here and There

Doyle finally stopped screaming. All it took was a little change in how Santana was holding him and some back rubbing... and no help from Quinn. She was too busy gaping to remember to give Santana the bottle.

"Can I have that?" Santana finally asked.

"Uh yeah..." Quinn snapped out of her daze and handed Santana the bottle, "what were you talking about?"

"Don't tell me you didn't see the way they were looking at each other? It was so obvious," Santana said as she brought Doyle back down to position that safe for eating.

"No, I did notice, that's why... are you okay with that?" Quinn reprised her gaping.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Santana looked up from her content cousin, "I just met Brittany last night, remember?"

"Seriously Santana-"

"I am being serious! Clean slate aside, she's my _ex_ and I'm totally over her. Now, I have the most amazing girlfriend in the history of girlfriends and she deserves to find someone that she thinks is just as great," Santana said with a half smile then looked back down Doyle, "Everyone deserves to be happy, huh, little dude?"

"Sooo, if she comes back here and tells us that she isn't moving in with Dez because she can't live with someone she'd rather date, you're going to be okay with it?" Quinn asked clearly in disbelief.

"Yes," Santana rolled her eyes, "I actually noticed it last night. I've had some time to process it and I'm cool with it. Honestly, I don't really have a right not to be."

"You noticed last night?" Quinn asked sitting down at the table with Santana.

"Yeah, Dez gave Brittany this, 'I'm a little happier than happy to see you' look in the booth."

"You have to burp him," Quinn said as she reached for the baby bag.

Santana put down the now empty bottle and looked up at Quinn with blatant questioning in her eyes, "I have to what?"

Quinn laughed as she pulled out a green and yellow mini-blanket.

"Umm... I know he's a baby but that is a really tiny blanket."

"Just, hand over the child," Quinn laughed as she put the blanket over her shoulder. Once Doyle was in her arms, she positioned him so that his face was hovering over her blanket covered shoulder then she started patting his back.

"Oh, that."

"You should have seen them dancing," Quinn said with an eyebrow quirk and a punctuating belch from the baby.

"Oh trust me, I know what it looked like without having to see it."

...} {...

"Did you want to like, go to your apartment and like, shower or something?" Brittany asked Dez as they walked through the subway station.

"Why? Do I smell?" Dez got a panicked look on her face and lifted her arm to sniff her armpit,

"No," Brittany laughed, "Not at all. I just wanted you to know that if you did I wouldn't mind." Brittany stopped herself from saying that Dez actually smelled really great despite her lack of shower this morning.

"Oh," Dez looked relieved, "I showered before going to the club... and... I changed my underwear this morning... so I should be good for a couple hours."

Brittany just quirked her eyebrow and squinted one of her eyes.

"Don't judge me," Dez rolled her eyes and directed Brittany to the correct staircase out, "I keep a pair in my purse because... you never know."

"Sometimes being a girl sucks," Brittany gave her a smile letting her know that she wasn't judging her.

"Yeah, it does," Dez agreed, "Hey, there's a really great pizza place, like a block away from the apartment," she suggested as they rounded the stairs on the sidewalk.

"Eh, I'm not really in the mood for pizza," Brittany shrugged as she continued to follow Dez, who, unlike Brittany, knew where she was going.

"Ooo how about Mexican? There's a place really close! It's like, the best," Dez said with a huge smile and then a "please" pout.

"Mexican is perfect," Brittany smiled back and let Dez lead the way.

"Yes! You're gonna love this place! I don't know what they season their chicken in, but it's like, unbelievable," Dez raved.

"So cute."

"Huh?"

"What?" Brittany was positive she hadn't said anything. There was no way that she'd let that thought slip out of her mouth and into the air.

"You said something, but that bus went by and I didn't really hear you," Dez looked over at Brittany with a smile and waiting eyes... really gorgeous, green, waiting eyes...

"Oh, I said I can't wait," Brittany lied, relieved that Dez hadn't heard what she had really said.

"Oh," Dez said with a half smile, "well, it's awesome. They have white queso!"

"What's so special about white cheese?" Brittany chuckled.

"Umm..." Dez stopped walking, "it's not just cheese, it's queso, there's a difference."

Brittany literally bit her tongue to prevent her thoughts from leaving her head this time. Dez was adorable. All the time. This time, Dez was looking right at her and was sure to hear her if she were to say anything.

"Jeez, I'm sorry..." Brittany threw her arms up in surrender, "but you do know that queso means cheese...?"

Dez rolled her eyes and threaded her arm through Brittany's, "Yeah, I know, but white queso isn't _just_ white cheese, it's heaven in a bowl."

"Okay, Dez, whatever you say," Brittany laughed and then remembered how close Dez was to her.

She had no idea what was going on. Before last night, thinking about Dez as anything but a really great friend had been the furthest thing from her mind, but now, sitting center stage in her brain was the thought of what a great _girl_friend Dez would be. The major issue was that she couldn't understand why the tremendous shift in thought had even occurred. They were just dancing.

"Hey, Dez!"

"Hi, Alex!"

Brittany was so lost in her head that she hadn't even noticed they were indoors. She didn't get out of her head until she heard a male voice greet Dez and felt her arm being dropped.

"They know you by name?" Brittany teased quietly as the guy who had just greeted Dez took them to a table.

With an embarrassed grin, Dez responded, "I might stop here after rehearsals a lot."

"That's okay," Brittany began as she slid into the booth, "At least they know your name. At the sushi place I always went to in LA, they called me 'Spicy Tuna.' Always! I didn't even get that every time."

Through her laughter, Dez said, "That's terribly lewd."

While she could say that her vocabulary had greatly expanded since high school, Brittany still found herself getting stumped on words. She rapidly searched through every drawer in the filing cabinets stacked in her brain and she just couldn't find the word "lewd."

"Umm..."

Dez simply smiled and then scrunched her nose a little, "Dirty."

"Oh," Brittany said and then laughed a little, "_oh..._" she said again when she realized what Dez meant, "It is! How did I not realize that until now?" Brittany covered her face knowing that her cheeks were lighting up with red.

"It's not that bad..."

Brittany uncovered her face and gave Dez a scowl. Just then the guy that Dez had called Alex came back with a bowl and a basket full of chips.

"Yes!" Dez whispered as the bowl and basket landed on the table.

"Enjoy ladies! Even though I'm positive I don't have to say that to Dez," Alex smiled.

"Shut up," Dez rolled her and grabbed a chip, making it known to Alex what she thought was more important at the moment.

"I'm Alex," he said, ignoring Dez and holding out his hand to Brittany.

"Hi," Brittany took his hand, "I'm Brittany."

"It's nice to meet you, Brittany. Enjoy the queso," he said giving a little glare to Dez.

"Thank you," Brittany smiled and then looked at the bowl in the middle of the table that Dez was already digging into.

Alex nodded and turned away from the table, heading back to his post at the door.

"Thanks," Brittany said as Dez dove another chip into the bowl of what Dez claimed to be 'heaven.' After the word had left her mouth she could feel her cheeks burning again.

"For what?" Dez asked with her mouth full and her hand covering it up.

"For telling me what 'lewd' meant without making me feel stupid," Brittany nibbled on her lip a little out of nervousness. She was still a little embarrassed that she had to be told.

Dez swallowed what she was chewing and looked at Brittany with a perplexed expression, "Why wou-"

"It's just that I'm so used to... I guess I... I'm sorry," she really felt like she was making a fool of herself now. Once the apology was out of her mouth she ducked her head down, resting her forehead into her hand to hide her face.

"Hey," Brittany directed her eyes towards the hand that found its way into hers on the table as the word 'hey' hit her ears, "what are you apologizing for?"

"I um..." she couldn't think past her hand.

"You don't have anything to apologize for," Brittany could hear the smile in Dez's voice and she finally looked up from their hands to see it, "So you don't know every single word in the dictionary. I'm not sure I'd want to be friends with someone that did." Her smile grew even bigger and somehow even warmer, "I definitely don't think you're stupid, Brittany and I'm sure there are a million things that you know that I haven't a clue about."

"Did you know that Play-Doh was originally invented to be a wallpaper cleaner?" Brittany squeezed on Dez's hand and jumped up a little in her seat as she spit out the first random fact that came to mind.

"No," Dez smiled and breathed out a laugh, "I did not know that. See, there's one thing already."

And then Brittany saw it: Dez's bottom lip in between her teeth. It was slight, but it happened and Brittany's brain basically exploded.

...{ }...

Two and half hours, two bottles of boob juice and a horrifying diaper into Santana and Quinn's babysitting adventure, the girls decided it was time for a rest... in the middle of their living room floor. They moved the coffee table and put every single blanket in the apartment in its place. Once they were satisfied that it was fluffy enough, they put Doyle down in the middle with every last toy his mothers left him and sat down.

"I am never going to recover from that," Santana huffed and lowered herself so she was lying down on her side facing Doyle.

Quinn followed Santana's lead and went down onto her side as well so that they were now both facing each other with Doyle in between them. "Come on, everybody poops," Quinn teased.

"Umm... that was bigger than him. The kid drinks milk. How could he possibly produce something like that?" Santana scoffed and turned onto her back.

"Aww... don't listen to her, Doyle, she's just mad because she isn't as tough as she thinks she is," Quinn said in one of those voices that people always talk to babies with.

"Hey," Santana flipped back to her side, "I am tough... I just have a weak stomach sometimes."

"Well, I think someone needs to work on that," Quinn made a little stuffed puppy say to Doyle.

"Why? We only have him for a couple more hours," Santana shrugged with one shoulder.

Quinn simply rolled her eyes and continued to try to make Doyle laugh.

As Santana watched Quinn make a fool of herself just to make a baby laugh, she couldn't help but think about what it would be like to raise kids with Quinn. It wasn't something she wanted right this second, but it was definitely something she wanted. Then it hit her:

"Q?"

"Mhm?" Quinn didn't take her attention off of Doyle.

"Um... were you possibly, maybe suggesting that you wanted to have... um... kids... with me?" Santana stammered out the question.

Quinn stopped waving the little puppy around and after at least ten seconds looked up and made eye contact with Santana. She almost said "maybe." Before the sarcastic answer could come out and ruin the opportunity to have this conversation about their possible future, she was able to stop herself and simply answer, "Yes."

As soon as she heard it, Santana's face lit up, "Really?" she asked because she selfishly wanted to hear it again.

"Yes," Quinn repeated, this time through an assuring smile, "Not like, right now, of course, but someday. You know, when you're done with law school and I'm done with at least two books."

"Shit," Santana mumbled.

"What? Were you hoping I'd want this tomorrow?" Quinn joked knowing very well that Santana didn't want that.

"No," Santana said with a half smile, "It's what I wanted to talk to you about. Quinn, I umm... I..." she bit down on her lip and then let it out, "I walked out of the LSAT."

"Okay..." Quinn said after Santana finally let out the breath she was holding.

"Okay...?"

Before Santana could panic Quinn's lips took charge of the situation and quelled her with a kiss.

"Okay?"

"Okay."

"Wanna tell me what happened?" Quinn asked in the tone that made Santana want tell her everything she could.

The only thing was, she still wasn't sure what had happened that day, "Babe, I don't know what happened. One minute I was rewriting the statement thing and the next I was outside. I don't even remember gathering all my stuff or finding my way outside. It just happened."

"Baby, why didn't come home after that? Clearly there was something wrong," Quinn asked as she maneuvered herself around a sleeping Doyle over to Santana so she could comfort her with more than just her words.

"I was embarrassed," Santana mumbled as she rested her head on Quinn's thigh.

"You don-"

"You were so proud of me and all of my plans. I couldn't come home way early and tell you that I already failed!" Santana looked up briefly and before her tears could fall from her eyes, she turned her head back down into Quinn's leg.

"Santana, look at me."

She merely shook her head against Quinn's thigh.

"Please, look at me," Quinn pleaded and after a few seconds finally got what she was asking for. Santana turned onto her back and looked up at Quinn with tears streaming away from her eyes and down to Quinn's pants. Cupping Santana's cheek with one hand and lightly stroking her arm with her other, Quinn leaned down a little towards Santana's face and said, "I love you no matter what and there is nothing that could change that. Maybe you subconsciously decided that you didn't want to be a lawyer anymore. So what?"

"But I do!" Santana said with as much voice as she could muster through her still flowing tears.

"And you have so much time! _We_ have time!"

"But you just said-?"

"I just said that I want a life with you. A whole life with a family and everything. There's no time limit," Quinn smiled and shook her head slowly.

Santana wiped away the last few tears from her face and sat up. She moved closer to Quinn and when she got there, rested her head on her shoulder. As she wrapped her arm around Santana's shoulders, Quinn took a deep breath in preparation, "This is what I've always wanted: the ability to live my life the way I want to. I never would have been able to give Beth the life she deserved and if I'd kept her, I know I wouldn't have you now. Believe me when I say that I can wait."

"You," Santana shifted her body a little and looked up to make eye contact with Quinn, "are the most beautiful person that I have ever encountered in my entire life and there isn't a word to describe how happy it makes me that you want all that with me, because that's exactly what I want with you."

Quinn was so overwhelmed, all she could think of to say was, "I love you."

"I love you, too," Santana whispered back as her lips closed in on Quinn's.

Not even five seconds into their kiss, Doyle began screaming. They departed from each others lips and rested their foreheads together, then Quinn whispered, "I can _definitely_ wait."

"I'll get him, I think you have a text message," Santana gestured towards Quinn's phone that was back on the other side of the blankets.

As Santana picked up Doyle, Quinn reached over for her phone. Her eyes went wide as she read the banner, "It's from Brittany..."

... } {...

"I can't believe how close this is to the studio!" Brittany said as Dez led her up the stairs in her building, "How is this only eleven hundred a month?"

"You'll see," Dez looked back and down at Brittany. When she looked forward again, Brittany's eyes directed back in front of her, accidentally landing on a certain part of Dez's body that somehow she hadn't noticed before. How on earth had she not noticed _that_ before?

'Stairs, look at the stairs.'

"Just one more flight," Dez looked back again.

"These stairs might be a deal breaker," Brittany joked, but as she got climbed higher it was becoming clear that something else entirely might actually be a deal breaker.

"You get used to them," Dez shrugged as she pulled out her keys and selected the one that would unlock her door.

Brittany bit down on the inside corner of her lips as she waited for Dez to open the door. Now she was nervous. She knew she couldn't live with Dez, not if she couldn't keep these feelings in check. Knowing that Dez wasn't going to change, there was no way she was going to be able to do that.

"Well, this is it," Dez said as she led Brittany inside. As soon as she stepped inside she could tell that Dez wasn't lying when she said that Santana and Quinn's apartment made hers look like a studio. The doorway was located in the middle and when you turned your head left to right, the ends weren't very far away. Diagonally to her right she could see the kitchen which had all of the usual amenities minus a dishwasher. There was a countertop that jutted out from the wall and judging by the three stools that were tucked under its overhang, Brittany concluded that it functioned as the table. Looking further to the right was the living area that had two couches, two windows and a television.

"As you can see," Dez started walking to the right, "this is the kitchen slash living room." She kept walking deeper into the common area and then stopped at a door that Brittany hadn't noticed before, "This is my room," she opened the door and laughed a little, "it's a little messy from last night's getting ready process."

Brittany peeked into the doorway of the tiny bedroom. Dez had a full size bed, a desk, a dresser and a thin bookcase. Considering the size of the room, she utilized the space well and was able to fit all of the necessities.

"It's cute," Brittany smiled and turned to Dez who was a lot closer to her than she was aware, like, same breathing space close. She swallowed hard and hoped that her voice wasn't going to sound shaky when she spoke, "and it really isn't that messy."

Dez laughed silently and turned back into the living room, "Thanks, but it is. Come on, I'll show you the other half."

After letting Dez get at least three steps ahead of her, Brittany followed. The first stop was a door on the right that was already open. "The bathroom," Dez said simply and gestured like one of the models on The Price is Right. Brittany laughed as she looked into the bathroom that was just big enough for all of the things that a full bathroom requires plus a person, or two if neither of them were moving or if one was in the shower. "And then this," Dez opened a door across the hall, "would be your bedroom. Like I said, Jo still has some moving to do but she's leaving her bed behind so you don't have to get one. That is of course if you don't mind a used mattress... that isn't _really_ that used because Jo has a really bad dust allergy and had like, two plastic coverings on it... I'm rambling, sorry. I'll just let you look at it."

Dez stepped away and let Brittany pass by. The room was probably the same size as the one in the front of the apartment, but because it currently only had a bed, a dresser and some clothes in the closet, it looked a little bigger. The apartment was really adorable. Brittany actually really liked that it was small. Santana and Quinn's apartment was so big that even when all three of them were in it, she would feel a little lonely when she was in a different end of the apartment than they were.

This place was perfect.

Except...

Brittany turned away from the closet that she realized she was spending too much time looking into and sat down on the bed. She was nervously cracking her knuckles and looking down at the floor when she felt the mattress shift next to her, "So, what do you think?"

"Umm..."

"It's too small! I knew it would be," Dez sighed.

"No, it's perfect," Brittany said with a half smile.

"Okay...?"

"It's just that I... umm," she didn't know what. She didn't want to hurt Dez's feelings, but she wasn't quite sure if she wanted to tell her the truth either. She wasn't even sure if that _was_ the truth. For a moment she contemplated waiting until she "spoke to her parents" and then using them as a scapegoat, until she realized that there was no way in hell that they'd say no to six-fifty plus utilities.

"It's me, isn't it? You don't want to live with me," Dez asked quietly, the hurt undeniable.

"No! Dez, that's not it," Brittany tried to squash that theory immediately. The last thing she wanted was for her to think that this was her fault, "It's not you, it's... fuck," she looked away and let her chin drop to her chest.

"Brittany?"

She took a slow breath and as she let it out, she turned her head towards the voice.

There was no time to prepare for it. It was like her body completely shut down for a second and then when it came back on she could feel every millimeter of it. Dez was only touching her in three places but she could feel her everywhere. Her heart was racing and her cheeks were burning under Dez's hands. And her lips, her lips were...

Not touching Dez's anymore.

"I'm sorry!"

"Don't be," Brittany said waking up from the coma that Dez had just put her in. She couldn't breathe correctly and she only stammered out, "That was..." before she inched forward and captured Dez's lips again, this time feeling what it was like to actively participate in a kiss with her. She felt Dez's lips lift into a smile and then her stomach swell up into her chest.

"I can't live with you," Brittany said breathlessly as she pressed her forehead to Dez's.

"I'm okay with that," Dez replied with just as much difficulty.

"You sure?" Brittany smirked with confident flirtation.

Dez smirked right back. She brought her hands up to the back of Brittany's neck and pulled her in for another kiss that was no less intense than the two before.

"I've wanted to do that since our Pomme Frites adventure," Dez confessed with the same breathless tone, "I'm sure."

"Why did you ask me to live with you?" Brittany asked thinking about her own dilemma from before the most recent events had unfolded.

Dez shrugged, "You need somewhere to live. You're my friend before you're my..." she scrunched her face a little and then quietly said, "crush."

"You are so cute, like, all the time," Brittany exhaled and lightly bit down on her bottom lip.

"That _is_ what you said earlier," Dez smiled.

"I thought you didn't hear me," Brittany furrowed her brow in a teasing manner.

"I wanted to know if _you_ heard you," Dez said with a half smile and a shrug.

"I didn't," Brittany admitted, "I thought it and I guess it just sort of came out at the same time."

Dez's half smiled lifted into a full one and she shyly directed her eyes down. Brittany followed them and watched as Dez's hands found hers in her lap. They looked up together and smiled. Dez licked her lips slightly and then asked, "So, do you wanna watch a movie or something?"

"I'd love to," Brittany answered quietly.

"Okay," Dez said jumping up and pulling Brittany with her, "You pick something out while I shower because I _still_ haven't done that yet."

"Okay," Brittany laughed as Dez continued to pull her into the living room.

Dez quickly turned on the TV and set everything up so that Brittany could browse through Netflix and pick something out. Then she literally hopped all the way to the bathroom.

Brittany quickly pulled out her phone, opened up her text messages and tapped on a conversation. She felt a tap on her shoulder and reflexively, she dropped her phone face down in her lap. As soon as she turned around there were lips on hers and her breath was stolen from her lungs. When Dez took her lips back, she smiled and coyly waved as she backed up. Brittany watched as she turned around and disappeared into the bathroom. When she was sure that Dez wasn't going to sneak up on her again (not that she would complain if she did) she picked up her phone and returned to the message she was sending. As she typed with her thumb, the fingertips of her other hand drifted to her lips, where the feeling of Dez's still lingered.

**To Quinn:  
**I know now.

* * *

**A/N: Good morning and Happy Day After Glee Day! Hours and hours later I'm still not sure how I feel about it, besides thinking it was better than last year's premiere. Speaking of seasons 3 and 4: they aren't relevant to this story. Just a little reminder. Anywhoodles, big doings in this chapter, eh? What did you think? The attention whore wants to know.**


	25. Restart and Rewind

November 2015, New York City  
Definitely Not Waiting Up

"I don't know what I was so worried about," Rachel said as she walked from the island to the living room, "both shows were sold out today."

"I hate to say I told you so," Santana laughed as she poured herself a glass of wine.

"No you don't," Rachel jumped in quickly.

"I know," Santana laughed again and then took a sip, "Tia and Vicky loved it, by the way. Tia's actually a closet musical geek. I was on her computer one time when I was visiting them and I peeked at her iTunes, there were a few hundred tracks listed as Original Broadway Cast Recording."

"Do you want me to get her a copy of ours when it comes out? I can have the cast sign it!" Rachel asks with her usual over enthusiasm.

"That would be really cool. Thanks," Santana smiled.

"Anything for my bestie!" Rachel said with a wave off, "I asked them if they wanted to come backstage, but I think Vicky was getting a little anxious to get back to Doyle."

"Tia had to push her out of the apartment this morning," Santana stopped in the middle of her path to the living room.

"I'm glad to hear that your aunts got him back in one piece," Rachel snarked as she sprawled out on one of the big couches in Quinn and Santana's living room, "I can't reach my glass from here," Rachel whined as she stretched to reach her wine glass from her lazy, lying position on the couch.

Santana rolled her eyes as she approached the coffee table and grabbed it for her. "I will kill you if you spill this," she said as she handed it Rachel who merely scowled, "And I will have you know that Quinn and I are awesome at babysitting."

"Oh I had no doubt about Quinn, it was you that I figured would have had all the difficulties," Rachel chastised and then tried to drink her wine while she was still lying down making her look like an idiot _and_ difficult to take serious.

"She can't change a diaper," Quinn's voice came from the kitchen that was empty not even five seconds before.

"I KNEW IT!"

"What happened to that paper?" Santana asked, unmistakably annoyed by Quinn assisting Rachel.

"I need some brain food," Quinn smiled as she waved the peanut butter jar and opened the utensils drawer. She then proceeded to pull out a spoon, dip it into the peanut butter jar and pull it back out with way more than a serving size. Both Rachel and Santana laughed as Quinn put the lid back on and then put the jar back in the cabinet. "I plan on running a few miles tomorrow," Quinn said as she blushed and began walking back out of the kitchen.

"Q!" Santana called. Quinn turned around and looked at her with a furrowed brow, "I love you!"

"I love you, too," Quinn returned through a smile, then she shook her head a little and turned to go back to their room.

"So gross," Rachel smiled. She finally put herself in a position so that she could safely sip her wine and not look absolutely ridiculous.

At this point, Santana had learned not to react to that with anything but a smile. The only people that ever said that to her and Quinn were people that actually thought they were adorable, because they were. People usually didn't say anything at all if they actually thought they were gross, they'd generally just give dirty looks because they were too chicken shit to say anything. Quinn and Santana were comfortable enough with themselves not to adjust what they were doing when that did happen.

"If you think that's gross, you're really gonna puke when I tell you what we talked about today," Santana smirked and then took a sip of her wine.

"Oh god! I don't want to know! I don't want to know about your sex life and the _things_ you're introducing into it! I'm scarred from the strap-on story!" Rachel said clasping her hand over one ear and her arm over the other (her other hand was too busy holding a wine class).

"LIES! You were on the edge of your seat when I was telling you that! You're straight, Rachel but you aren't _that_ straight," Santana scowled.

"Okay, fine, but still, I had a long day," Rachel said as if that were an excuse.

"What does- whatever, that's not what we talked about anyways," Santana rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"Okay, well now the suspense is killing me! I'm ready to puke!"

After releasing the laughter that deserved, Santana kept her smile, leaned forward a little and said simply, "The Future."

"Like, _your_ future... together?"

"Uh huh."

"Oh. My. God! Aaaaahhh!" Rachel squealed and kicked her legs up in the air.

"You are such a girl."

"So did you talk about like, marriage and babies and stuff?" Rachel asked as she sat up and scooted to the edge of the couch to listen.

"Yes," Santana said as she rolled her eyes, "and how we want those things together but not for a while. Like, not for a few years."

"Oh of course," Rachel said with her serious face, "Not until you've graduated from law school and she's finished _at least_ two books."

"What the- that's _exactly_ what Quinn said," Santana gaped at Rachel.

"Really? Wow, who'd have thought Quinn Fabray and I would think the same?" Rachel shrugged and then went back to her sprawled out position. In a about a second she popped back up with her eyes wide, "I'm your maid of honor, right?"

"Slow down, crazy," Santana said, but Rachel kept staring at her, "of course you are."

"Good."

Rachel went back to lying down in her wine drinking position and Santana sat back into the couch, both silently sipping on their Pino Grigio.

The silence lasted for a good two minutes and it was interrupted by an elongated, "Sooo...?" from Rachel.

"Yes, Rachel?"

"When did Brittany and her friend go to 'look at the apartment?'" Rachel asked using air quotes.

"Umm... I don't know, noon or something?" Santana shrugged.

"It's midnight!" Rachel popped back up again.

"Maybe she's staying there, they are friends," Santana shrugged again.

"Yeah, okay..."

And then there was a key in the door.

Santana and Rachel listened as the lock turned slowly. Then listened to the door knob turn slowly. They looked at each other with quirked eyebrows and then Rachel turned and peaked over the back of the couch to look down the hall at the door.

"Why are you being sneaky as if you _aren't_ an adult?"

"OhmygodRachel!" Brittany screeched. Rachel continued to stare at her seeking an answer, "Umm... I don't know...?"

"Mhm," Rachel hummed quietly, "Come hang out with us."

Santana couldn't see Rachel's face but she _knew_ there was mischievous smirk on it. Rachel had spent far too much time with Kurt and grew a love for gossip that now borderlined unhealthy.

"Okay," it was slight, but Santana could hear the nerves in Brittany's tone. It was so slight that Rachel probably didn't hear it all. Santana really only recognized it because she knew Brittany so well. Still.

Rachel sat up and as Brittany entered the living room, she signaled for her to sit on the couch with her, forcing her to sit in the middle of her and Santana.

"How was the apartment?" Rachel asked with the smirk that Santana had suspected from before.

"It's cute," Brittany gave a shrug and a half smile, but continued, "It's small like Dez said it was, but it's so close to Alvin Ailey and so many other cool things, it doesn't even really matter."

"You don't seem like you're sold, though," Santana suggested, choosing her words carefully to not let on that she knew anything. She didn't want Brittany to know that Quinn had already filled her in a little. That wouldn't have been fair for either of them.

"Is it your friend, Dez? Do you not want to live with her?" Rachel asked clearly hinting at something.

Brittany didn't take the bait though, "Oh no! Dez is..." she paused for a moment trying to access the appropriate word, "... great. She loves your show! When I told her that I went to school with you she like, freaked out and went all fan girl."

"Wait, really?" Rachel lost all of her prior motives and fell for Brittany's genius distraction.

"Oh yeah," Brittany smiled with satisfaction, "I always joke with her that she's only staying my friend until she gets to meet you and then she's going to leave me high and dry."

"I highly doubt that's true," Santana chimed in, "She wouldn't have asked you to live with her."

"No," Brittany turned a little and Santana saw her gulp down hard, "You're totally right, she wouldn't have."

"So what's wrong?" Santana asked in the most caring tone she could muster because Rachel's accusatory one was not working, "You seem really hesitant about the offer."

"Well, um, we, uh... we," with every utterance, Santana and Rachel leaned in a little bit closer. Brittany looked between them with a nervous look, closed her eyes and then released, "We kissed! A lot! So much that we had to restart and rewind the movie we were watching like, a million times!"

"Aaaahh!" Rachel squealed and then immediately cut off her excitement the instant she remembered who the third person in the room was.

That third person was smiling though and when Rachel and Brittany looked at her she said softly, "I'm guessing you aren't moving then?"

"I _really_ like her," Brittany said quietly as if saying it louder was going change Santana's current pleasant demeanor.

"Yeah," Santana laughed softly, "I'm thinking moving in before your first date isn't the best choice."

It wasn't malicious; it was a genuine, lighthearted joke and the other two girls didn't seem to believe what was happening.

"So," Brittany started as if she were treading in shark infested water with a paper cut, "you're okay with this."

'I really wish everyone would stop underestimating me,' Santana thought and knew that her facial expression matched it.

"Uhh..." Rachel stood up, "I have to see if Quinn needs... umm... more peanut butter..."

"Not your best," Santana called Rachel out.

"This is the highest of stakes I have ever had to deal with, okay? I need to get out of this room and you two need to get on the same level!" Rachel's voice got loud and screechy and as soon as she was done she turned around and stormed out of the living room in classic Rachel Berry fashion.

After watching Rachel make it all the way to Quinn and Santana's room, Brittany turned back around slowly and aimed her attention to the coffee table in front of her. Unable to take the silence, she said quietly, "Some things don't change, huh?"

"Nope," Santana laughed silently.

"I'm sorry," Brittany said as she nervously fiddled with her hands.

"For what?" Santana said ducking her head down a little hoping that Brittany would look up.

"I don't know, I just feel like I should be. All the time," she answered, still looking at the coffee table.

"Well, don't," Santana said with a little more force than she had intended, but it made Brittany look up, "please."

Brittany opened her mouth to speak, but sighed instead, shaking her head and sinking into the back of the couch.

Santana bit the inside of her lip contemplating what to say next. They'd already thrown Operation Clean Slate out the window so anything was fair game at this point.

"Britt?" Santana said gently.

In response, Brittany's eyes widened at the name Santana hadn't uttered since she had showed up a few weeks prior.

Now she was paying attention.

"Today, while Quinn and I were babysitting, we talked about how when we're ready, we want to get married and raise kids together," as Santana said it, Brittany's lips curled up into a smile, "I want that _so_ much with her and in the meantime, I'm so excited to just..." she exhaled and completed the correct phrasing, "be with her. I'm so happy. Happier than I ever thought I'd be. And even when it isn't, my life is absolutely perfect now," she exhaled again and through the lump of happy tears building in her throat she sighed, "Thank you."

The smile on Brittany's face immediately turned into a perplexed expression, "For what...?"

Still battling the tears, Santana merely answered, "Leaving."

Brittany still wasn't getting it.

Swallowing down the lump as much as she could, Santana sighed and then said, "Your life right now, for the most part, is what you want, right?"

"Yeah," Brittany said in a way that sounded almost like a 'duh!'

Santana sighed again, because now she was _really_ going to bury the clean slate plan, "When you left you said that you needed to go home so that your dreams could have a shot at turning into reality."

"It was selfish-"

"You had to be! I'm okay with that! Brittany if you hadn't left, I never would have started making mash-ups, I never would have gone to the Strand to find books to help me learn more, which would mean I never would have started going there once a week, which would mean I never would have run into Quinn and Quinn and I certainly wouldn't have been talking about building a life together today," Santana took a breath and then continued with one last thought, "Do you really think that if you stayed here with me, you would be in that dance company?"

"No," Brittany answered without thinking, "I'd probably be waiting tables and taking dance classes somewhere and that's it."

"Exactly!" Santana exhaled and fell back into the couch. That was exhausting, but necessary.

"Thank you."

She sat back up, "Now I'm confused. For what?"

"I know that you didn't give up," Brittany closed her eyes and then opened them again, "You agreed. You weren't happy about it, but you did it."

"I told you I'd do anything for you," Santana said quietly with a tiny laugh.

"Even let me go," Brittany sighed.

"We didn't need to start over. That was absurd," Santana smiled as she felt the sensation of relief wash over her.

"We just needed to talk about the gigantic elephant in the room," Brittany smiled back.

Santana looked around the room with a fake clueless look, "I don't see an elephant."

Brittany sighed and sucked her teeth then threw one of the throw pillows at Santana.

Santana laughed and as it persisted, she looked at Brittany and said, "I have the most overwhelming need to hug you as if you're my long lost best friend."

"Really?" Brittany said, tears obviously building behind her voice.

"Yes," Santana answered as she stood.

"Oh my god!" Brittany whispered as she got up and threw herself at Santana, "I missed you _so_ much!"

Santana laughed a little as she wrapped her arms around Brittany, "I missed you, too." She didn't know it until this moment, but she really did miss her best friend.

"Aaaahhhh!"

"What the...?" Santana and Brittany said and then looked towards the island together.

Quinn and Rachel were both standing behind the island clapping and jumping like eavesdropping idiots.

"How long have you two been there?" Santana asked only a little annoyed.

"Long enough to know that you're done being stupid!" Quinn answered.

"And that you talked about the elephant!" Rachel smiled with all of her teeth.

"You know it's not polite to eavesdrop," Brittany scolded them.

"Oh shut up and let us hug you guys!" Quinn said and started barreling towards them with Rachel in tow. All four of them fell to the couch and started giggling like children.

When everyone settled down and was sitting normally on the couch, Santana turned to Brittany who was on the other end of the couch and said, "Okay, now you have to talk about Dez!"

"What do you want to know?" Brittany asked with her cheeks turning impossibly red.

"You are blushing so hardcore right now," Santana teased.

Brittany just kept blushing, bit her lip and looked away.

"Oh my god!" Rachel nudged her, "You totally had sex!"

"No!"

"Oh please! You can't tell me that you were at her apartment for twelve hours and all you did was make out," Rachel scoffed.

"Who are you and what did you do with virgin Rachel?" Brittany asked backing away as much as she could manage on the cramped couch.

"Brittany, meet Very Sexually Active Rachel, Very Sexually Active Rachel, shut up," Santana said pleasantly and then sternly. Rachel merely crossed her arms and sank into the back of the couch.

"Who kissed who first?" Quinn leaned into the space that Rachel just left, resting her chin in her palm.

"She kissed me," Brittany sighed, "And then she apologized and then I kissed her."

"Aww," all three of the other girls sighed in unison.

"And then we kissed again and then she went to take a shower and then she came back out in her towel and kissed me and then _actually_ went to take a shower and then there was a lot of kissing and cuddling and more kissing..." Brittany let her slow rant fall off as she stared off into nothingness.

Quinn and Santana looked at each other for a moment, laughed silently together and then Quinn turned back around and cleared her throat.

No response.

"Did you guys _talk_ about anything, or was it just a lot of making out and cuddling?" Quinn waved her hand in front of Brittany's face.

"Huh? Oh! Yeah! I told her that I couldn't move in with her, but she's totally okay with it. And so am I. This is way better," Brittany said through a little laugh, "And I asked her if she'd go on a date with me."

"Oh my god! Take her to my show! I probably won't be able to get tickets until next week but I could get you comps and you guys can come back stage and see everything," Rachel shot back up from her slumped position.

"Rach, just because she said the girl likes your show doesn't mean-"

"No!" Brittany interrupted Santana, "That would be perfect! Thank you, so much, Rachel!"

"De nada," Rachel said in an awful American accent, "anything for my bestie's bestie.

* * *

**A/N: This is a quick note because I have a phone interview in like five minutes! Just wanna know what you thought as per usual!**


	26. Do Tell!

December 2015, New York City  
A Kitchen Clouded With Anxiety

Santana was pacing. It was extremely slow, but she was pacing nonetheless. She just kept walking from the fridge to the microwave and back to the fridge over and over as she waited for Quinn to finish getting ready.

Brittany was sitting. Sort of. One of her legs was between her butt and the stool while her other leg shook uncontrollably from the floor up to her hip. At the same time she was picking at her fingernails which by now probably had nothing left to pick.

Perhaps they were both a little nervous.

"So, no dinner, just the show?" Santana asked as she continued her steady pacing.

"Well, she had a class until like 5:45 and I want to be at theatre by 7:30 so we don't really have time," Brittany answered slowing down the speed of her leg just a little, "maybe something after?"

"Did you tell her where you're going?" Santana finally stopped and leaned up against the counter next to the fridge.

"No," Brittany smiled with excitement and stopped the rapid motion of her leg.

"What did you tell her?" Santana asked stepping up to the island and leaning onto it.

"I told her that I would be at her apartment by ten past seven and she should dress in the level just above jeans," Brittany said, still beaming.

"And she knew what that meant?"

"I think so..."

"You know, you _can_ wear jeans to a Broadway show," Santana laughed.

"I know..." Brittany said with that smile that's caught somewhere between awkward and genuine laughter.

"Perv," Santana joked.

"She has amazing legs," Brittany said, accepting the fact that she definitely wanted Dez to be wearing a skirt so that she could easily stare at said amazing legs.

"She's a dancer," Santana smiled and rolled her eyes. "Wait, haven't you guys been hanging out after like, every one of your rehearsals?" she stood up, crossing her arms and shifting her weight to one leg.

"Yeah...? So...?"

"And you're considering _this_ your first date?" Santana quirked up her eyebrow in a fashion that rivaled her girlfriend.

"I don't think that _you_ are allowed to judge our dating process," Brittany returned the eyebrow quirk.

"Mmm..." Santana went back to leaning over the island, "touché."

"Are you excited to meet Quinn's boss?" Brittany was done talking about herself for the moment.

"Yes... and no," Santana admitted, "I'm a little nervous actually. She thinks I'm 'too good to be true.' I don't want her to get the impression that I am."

"Oh shut up! She's gonna think you're great because you are," Brittany scoffed at Santana, "Quinn says all those great things about you because they'e true!"

"She's right," the other blonde resident of the apartment entered the kitchen, "and babe, if you can handle Russell, you can handle anything."

"Thanks," Santana blushed and looked between them.

"Ready?" Quinn asked both parties.

"Uh huh," Brittany exhaled as Santana nodded.

"Well then, uptown we go!" Quinn said leading them all out.

...} {...

A Fancy, Midtown Establishment

Dinner with Ilona was going perfectly. Santana fielded every question that was thrown at her with charm and poise. Santana was so charming and perfect that Quinn was extra in love with her tonight. She was also a little... a lot turned on. If she wasn't so afraid that she might get Ilona by accident, she'd be running her foot up and down Santana's leg that was bare despite the cold and thanks to the mid-thigh dress she was wearing.

"You want to be a lawyer, right?" Ilona asked then took a sip of her water.

"Yes," Santana answered confidently.

"And you want to go to Columbia, correct?"

"Definitely," Santana answered with a smile, "but I want to take a year off. _Only_ a year."

"I won't let her slip up," Quinn said with a smile and a subtle wink.

"You two! Oh!" Ilona sat back and replaced her glasses, "I just don't even know what to do with myself!"

"I'm sure that you have plenty more questions," Quinn laughed.

"I don't!" Ilona huffed.

"I find it very hard to believe that Ilona Coppenger is out of questions," Quinn joked with her boss.

"Well, I'm sure I'll think of something," she replied in the fake British accent that Santana had been dying to hear, "I _can_ say that I get it now."

"You get what now?" Santana asked a little worried.

"How you guys work so well and how you keep everything composed even when it seems like the whole world is caving in on you," Ilona answered with a flip of her curly red hair.

"That last part seems a bit hyperbolic..."

"If I'm not mistaken, Miss Fabray, when your parents were coming, you thought the world _was_ caving in on itself," Ilona pursed her lips and pointed at Quinn with her glasses.

"It could have," Quinn mumbled.

"Enlighten us, Ilona, please," Santana smiled and gently rubbed the back of Quinn's hand with her fingertip.

"Gladly," Ilona used the fake accent again and Santana bit down on her tongue to prevent herself from laughing, "From what I understand, before you came across each other in the Strand, you were both very independent young women," Quinn and Santana looked at each other and nodded in agreement, "Perhaps not financially independent, but at the moment that isn't entirely necessary. Anyways, your independence continues, however you both know when you need the other. You might be stubborn about it at first, but you accept it."

Both Quinn and Santana laugh at that part, especially knowing how true it was.

"Most importantly, though, you respect each other. Sometimes I think that's more important than love. _That_ I don't even have to talk about because it's obvious. I mean, every single time you've looked at each other tonight I've been able to see it. It's a little disgusting," Ilona clearly joked.

"We don't keep secrets from each other, either," Quinn said, adding to Ilona's thoughts.

"Not for long, at least," Santana included with a half shrug and a partial smile, still feeling a little guilty for not telling Quinn about the LSAT sooner.

Quinn seemed to know exactly what she was referring to and gave her a 'stop feeling bad' look.

The guilt continued for a little while though when she remembered a certain _other_ secret: that one gigantic secret that she had to keep probably forever because she didn't think it would go over well with either Fabray women if she ever told it.

"Aah, that comes from the respect for each other," Ilona said with a mouth full of whatever it was she had ordered and hadn't been eating and then in that same, amazing accent, "Excuse me for a moment, I must use the ladies room." She picked up her napkin off her lap, placed it on the table and got up from her seat.

When she was sure that Ilona was out of earshot, Quinn grabbed Santana's wrist, bit her lip and then husked, "I want you so bad right now. So. Bad."

"What?" Santana said, unable to believe what she was both seeing and hearing... and feeling. Quinn's foot was making its way up her calf, to her thigh and then to her... "Qu-Quinn?"

"Uh huh?" she didn't stop.

"She's gonna come back," Santana warned in a shaky voice.

"I'll see her," Quinn whispered and Santana wished that Ilona wasn't coming back and they could go home. Now.

Santana knew the exact moment when Quinn saw Ilona, it was the same moment that Quinn's foot went back to the floor.

"Since we didn't eat our meals, should we get dessert?" Ilona asked excitedly when she returned to the table.

Santana couldn't speak.

"I could go for some creme brûlée," Quinn smiled, covering up what had just happened a lot better than Santana, "But, funny story, now I have to use the ladies room, so I'll be right back."

And then Santana was left behind with Ilona and her underwear, which was really all she could think about until she realized she should think of something else. That something else was, 'say something before she can.'

"You know, I'm really happy that I finally got to meet you. Quinn absolutely loves you."

"Not as much as she loves you," Ilona smiles, sweetly.

Santana knew that she was blushing.

"I thoroughly believe that everything she's told me about how wonderful you are is true."

More blushing ensued on Santana's side of the table.

"So," Ilona was clearly about to change the subject, "how's Brittany?"

Santana spit her water back into the glass the instant the question hit her ears.

"I thought you guys were all good now..."

"They are!" Quinn returned just in time.

"We are!" Santana confirmed after she had regained her composure, "I just wasn't really prepared for that one."

"Sorry," Ilona said ducking her head down a little and giving a smile.

"It's okay," Santana assured her, "Brittany's actually on a date right now."

"Oooo! Do tell!"

...} {...

45th & 8th

Dez _just_ kept smiling. It started when she realized exactly where they were going. First she whispered "Oh my god," then a beaming smile never left her face. Even when the show was over she kept it.

"Thank you," she said and kissed Brittany's cheek when they were outside the theatre.

"Oh, there's more," Brittany smiled and grabbed her hand. She brought them over to a man standing in front of the stage door and said something to him into his ear. In seconds they were being guided back into the theatre and pointed into a direction.

"Up those stairs, first on the right."

"Oh my god! Are you taking me to meet Rachel? Here?" Dez squeezed Brittany's hand.

Brittany looked back and smiled, "Actually Rachel invited us. I told her how much you loved her show and she offered to get us tickets and take us backstage."

"You didn't tell her how much I love _her_ did you?" Dez asked looking quite mortified.

"No...?" Brittany smiled a little awkwardly, "Maybe."

"Brittany! She's gonna think I'm such a dork!" Dez stopped walking at the last step of the stairs, leaned up against the railing and buried her face into her hands.

Brittany stepped down on the stairs so that they were on the same level and gently pulled Dez's hands from her face, "She doesn't think that. I promise."

"You're absolutely sure?" Dez asked, worried.

"I'm positive," Brittany said with the most assuring smile she could make, "Ask her about her obsession with Barbara Streisand. There's no way she thinks you're a dork."

"I can't believe I'm backstage about to meet Rachel Berry, Juilliard drop out and Broadway sensation," Dez smiled with excitement and quirked up her eyebrows.

"Well, you would have met her eventually..."

"Now I can stop pretending to be your friend," Dez said in a tone that was clearly sarcastic, but Brittany's face still grew both surprised and sad. "I was kidding," Dez said apologetically, "Trust me, I definitely _want_ to be your friend."

"Well that's too bad," Brittany pouted and Dez adopted her own look of shock. Brittany smiled when she got the reaction she was hoping for, "I was hoping you'd want to be a little more than that."

"Oh," Dez exhaled and leaned closer to Brittany, "Yeah, that is what I want."

Brittany smiled and let her eyes drift to Dez's lips. They were perfect. As she leaned in closer, she could smell the minty chap stick that she had applied just before they entered the stage door. Dez hummed the moment their lips touched and it actually made Brittany's knees weak. Luckily she'd been holding onto the railing behind Dez so she didn't go tumbling down the stairs.

"Ow ow!"

"Hi, Rachel," Brittany said after reluctantly breaking the kiss.

"I was wondering what was taking so long," she said closing the door to her dressing room behind her.

Brittany rolled her eyes and took a tiny step back, "Rachel this is Dez, Dez this is Rachel."

Dez shot out her hand immediately, but Rachel was having none of it; she moved forward a little bit and wrapped her arms around Dez, who took a second to realize what was happening and hugged her back.

"You're so amazing... and I am such a dork," Dez shook her head and looked down to her feet.

"Thank you and no you aren't. There was this one time, I met Sutton Foster and I couldn't even speak. Actually, I thought I was going to pass out," Rachel laughed.

"Yeah right," Dez scoffed.

"No, seriously. She asked me a couple questions and I just stood there like an idiot," Rachel laughed and then gestured for them to walk down the stairs.

Dez led the way and as her back was turned, Rachel mouthed "So cute," to Brittany.

Brittany smiled and mouthed back, "I know," then looked back down towards Dez and absentmindedly checked out her legs... and then her ass that her skirt hugged perfectly.

She shook herself out of it when she felt Rachel smack her arm, "And hot!" she mouthed.

"I know," Brittany mouthed back, feeling her heart race slightly.

"There's no way that you react that way now," Dez was clearly thinking about this the whole way down the stairs and Brittany thought it was adorable.

"Oh, this was like two weeks ago," Rachel said through a completely serious expression.

Brittany laughed and Dez just stared, flabbergasted.

"Come on, my stage manager said I could take you around, but only for a little bit," Rachel said and began her guided tour of the backstage area.

She showed them the ensemble dressing rooms, the other leads' dressing rooms, where all of the moving set pieces were kept, introduced them to a few ensemble members and the female lead and finally she took them onstage. The ghost light was already on the stage but the house lights were still on. As they walked through the teaser curtains, Dez slid her hand down Brittany's forearm and into her hand, interlocking their fingers just as they hit the stage. It left Brittany with a chill and a swelling sensation in her stomach.

"Just a few minutes, Rach!" a voice called out from somewhere.

"Thanks, Liz!" Rachel called out into the empty house. "Welcome to my favorite place in the world," she turned to them with her arms open gesturing to the entire space around them.

"This is so cool. I mean of course I've been on stages before but this is way different," Dez said looking around and walking forward a little, but without letting go of Brittany's hand.

"I think this stage is smaller than McKinley's," Brittany said as she looked up at the lights above the stage.

"Oh, it is," Rachel confirmed, "But it's so much bigger."

"Yeah..." Brittany exhaled as she she looked into the house.

"Okay, I'm really sorry guys, but I think I have to end the tour," Rachel said looking into the wing at a guy standing at a big red switch.

"That's okay. This was already way more than I was expecting," Brittany replied as Rachel led them off the stage.

"Yeah, this was amazing!" Dez beamed.

"I'm glad you had good time," Rachel smiled, "I have to go grab my stuff and I told some people I'd meet up with them."

"Okay," Brittany said with a smile. She stepped forward, gave Rachel a hug and whispered, "thank you."

"You're welcome," she whispered back, released her, then turned to Dez, "It was an absolute pleasure to meet you."

Rachel hugged Dez who responded in the appropriate amount this time and said, "Thank you for not thinking that I'm a dork."

"Never," Rachel winked then smiled, "Hopefully I'll see you soon. It better be before New Years!" she looked directly at Brittany and furrowed her brow.

"See ya, soon, Rach," Brittany said and guided Dez out the door they came in.

"So, what's so special about New Years?" Dez asked once they were outside.

"Santana throws a big New Years party every year at the apartment," Brittany answered.

"Oh."

"You wouldn't happen to have plans already, would you?" Brittany asked fully expecting Dez say yes, she did already have plans.

"Nope."

"Wait, really?"

"Really," Dez smiled, "Since we have rehearsal on the second, I had to get a flight back before New Year's Eve and I haven't gotten any offers yet."

"So you'll come?" Brittany stopped them and turned to Dez.

"It depends," Dez shrugged.

"On...?"

"On whether or not my girlfriend is going to be there," Dez said with a cheeky smile and an adorable little kick.

"Well, _I'm_ going to be there," Brittany said hoping she was taking Dez's bait correctly, "That is, if itwas me that you were referring to."

Dez took a step forward and started playing with one of the buttons on Brittany's coat. In the smallest, shyest, most adorable voice she asked, "Would you want it to be?"

Brittany took a breath, lifted Dez's chin gently with her index finger and looked her directly in the eyes, "Definitely."

The fingers that had been previously playing with a button on Brittany's coat, grasped at the wool and pulled Brittany into an immediately intense kiss. It was as if the title had ignited them, a feeling Brittany had never experienced before and when their lips parted, Brittany couldn't stop, "wow," from escaping her lips.

"Yeah," Dez exhaled.

"We should, um, probably start walking," Brittany stuttered unable to catch her breath or figure out which way was the right one.

"Okay," Dez said with reluctance and took Brittany's hand.

They started walking towards Ninth Avenue in perfect silence. Speaking wasn't necessary, just being together was enough in that moment.

Every once in a while they'd look at each other and give goofy, giddy smiles, but still there were no words spoken. As they turned down Dez's street, she cleared her throat and quietly hummed, "Um...?"

"Yeah?" Brittany asked with a smile.

Dez stopped about two stoops away from her own and started playing with the bottom of Brittany coat, "So, I really want to invite you up, but I sort of have this... thing..."

"Okay...?" Brittany wasn't sure where this was going.

"It's kind of a rule..." Dez said slowly still looking at the hem of Brittany's coat.

"Okay," by now Brittany had pretty good sense of where Dez was going with this and if she said what she thought she was going to say, Brittany was going to say that she was okay with it, no matter how long it was.

"A month," Dez sighed and looked up, "until we... you know..."

"Thirty or thirty-one days?" Brittany squinted a little and asked as if the difference really mattered.

"A month from today, December 1st, so thirty-one," Dez said hesitantly.

Brittany smiled and kissed Dez, "You could have said a year and I'd wait."

"A YEAR? That's crazy!"

"I know and I'm really glad you didn't say that," Brittany laughed and then looked down. She bit her lip when Dez's legs came into her sight and continued, "because a month is going to be hard enough."

"I know," Dez whispered, "And I'm sorry, it's just..."

"A thing. I get it," Brittany assured her.

"Are you sure?" Dez asked. Clearly, this had been a deal breaker in the past.

"Yes, I'm sure," Brittany ducked her head down to catch Dez's eyes, "Too many of my past relationships started with sex. This is so much different. It _feels_ different and I just want everything to be right. So if that means waiting, I'm all for it. And..." she paused for moment, hardly able to believe what she was going to say, "I'm going to walk you to your door, kiss you good night and walk to the subway."

"Okay," Dez sighed and then Brittany did exactly what she said she was going to do: she slipped her hand into Dez's, took every step with her until they were at her door, kissed her goodnight, then walked to the subway. She didn't go without looking back and smiling at Dez all the way to the end of the street, but she still walked away and she was actually happy she had.

Not that she regarded anything in her past a mistake, but she was definitely learning from it.

* * *

**A/N: Okay, hope you all enjoyed this! Let me know what you thought. I really do love hearing from you all.**


	27. Which One?

December 2015, New York City  
Freezing

"You're really doing this today?" Rachel shivered and blew into her hands as they waited at the crosswalk.

"Yes," Santana answered and started crossing the street to take them closer to their destination.

"I'm so excited!" Brittany began skipping to get across the street faster.

"Slow down, Britt! The store isn't going anywhere," Kurt skipped after her.

"Oh my god! Where's Quinn?" Rachel pretty much screeched.

"Chill out, Rach! She has a final," Brittany turned around, walking backwards for a little and then turned back around.

"I can't do this. How are you so calm? I'm not even buying this thing and I'm a mess!" Rachel threw her arms up.

"It's just a ring-"

"Just a ring? You're asking her to marry you!"

"I know," Santana smiled and kept up her brisk pace towards her intended destination. She had a plan and it started on this extra cold December afternoon.

After their conversation the day they were babysitting, proposing to Quinn became the top thought in Santana's brain. Granted they had distinctly discussed not being in any rush, but nothing about being engaged meant that they had to be married immediately. They could be engaged for ten years for all Santana cared, she just wanted Quinn to know that she was "the one" and she was going to show her with something very shiny and very expensive.

Santana laughed as she and Rachel caught up to Kurt and Brittany who were huddled together, staring into the shop, "It's freezing! Go inside!"

"We wanted to wait for you," Kurt said and gestured for Santana to go in first.

She rolled her eyes but complied and entered the store first. Before, when they were all walking to this place, she was fine, but now that she was in the store, surrounded by glass cases, she was a wreck.

"Good afternoon, ladies... and gentleman," a tall, slim man in a gray, perfectly tailored suit and a purple striped tie greeted the group.

"Good afternoon!" Kurt replied for everyone. If Santana didn't think that his blatant flirting might help her out, she'd probably call him out and say something about his boyfriend.

"I'm sensing one of you is here for a very big reason," the salesman said with a smile and his light brown eyes turning into dollar signs.

"She is!" Brittany stepped up behind Santana, "She's going to propose to her girlfriend!"

Santana felt her cheeks burn and was beginning to wonder why she didn't make this venture by herself. She also made a mental note to never take Brittany with her if she ever found herself buying a car or house hunting. She was just too enthusiastic.

"I had a feeling it was one of you two," the salesman, who Santana had just noticed his name tag said Ian, said pointing between her and Rachel.

"Oh," Rachel scoffed, putting her hand to her chest, "I'm an askee and my asker will be a man."

"Hun?" Kurt addressed Rachel who acknowledged him immediately, "Shut up."

"Okay."

"Well, Miss...?"

"Lopez!" Brittany answered for her.

Santana gave Brittany a 'really?' look that only lasted for about a second because she was being addressed again, "Miss Lopez, do you have idea as to what you might be looking for today?"

She looked around at her posse for a second before she began her answer. No one should have had anything to say to that because they didn't know. After a few seconds, Santana spoke for the first time since entering the store, "Sort of. I know that I want it to have more than one diamond, but I don't want it to be too big; that's not really Quinn's style. Yellow gold isn't her style either, besides, I think yellow gold and diamonds look tacky anyways."

"I agree, but I have to keep my mouth shut when people are buying things," Ian said with a smirk.

"The customer is always right," Santana snarked.

"Ugh, how untrue that is," he sighed, "Anyways, if you'll follow me, we have many selections with all of your specifications."

All four of them moved to the case on the left side of the store that he was referring to and the instant they got there, Santana felt overwhelmed. He was right, they did have a lot of rings that met her exact specifications.

"It seems like your biggest decision is how many," Kurt whispered.

"And what shape," Brittany added.

Rachel was clearly in too much awe to even think, let alone speak.

"Do you mind if I make a suggestion?"

"Please!" Santana, Brittany and Kurt all answered at once.

After a brief chuckle, Ian began, "Since you don't want something gigantic, I'm going to suggest that you choose something with three stones set outside the band. Anything more and the smaller diamonds become much too small and in my opinion, not worth the cost. I'm also a sucker for the romantic, past, present and future meaning that the three stones have."

"Did you just suggest she spend less money?" Rachel was finally able to speak and for some reason that was all she cared enough to comment on.

"Not necessarily," Ian said with with a smile that looked a little bit like a wince then bent down to unlock the case they were standing at. When Ian stood back up, he had a tray from the case that had at least fifteen rings on it, all meeting the specifications of not too big, not yellow gold and three stones set outside of the band.

At first glance, they all looked the same and Santana wondered why any of them could possibly cost different or why they were _all_ on display. Then, all four of them ducked down to look better. "Oh," Santana exhaled and realized what Ian had meant by 'set outside the band.'

"You have way more decisions than I thought," Kurt said as he gaped at all of the rings in front of them.

"I could have told you that," Rachel guffawed, "I've been looking at pictures of engagement rings since I could use the Internet, so at least thirteen years."

"Is one of them like, screaming at you?" Brittany asked quietly, bringing her head a little closer to Santana's.

Santana shook her head as she continued staring. She kept having this problem where they all kept blurring together, looking like a diamond tundra. She closed her eyes tight, then opened them back up in order to refocus them. It worked. Her eyes focused on one ring, then the next and continued on until they got to the middle of the tray where they stopped.

"That's it," she whispered so softly only Brittany had heard it because of how close she was to Santana.

"Which one?" Brittany asked just as softly, preventing an absurd commotion.

"Third row from the top, last one on the right," Santana avoided pointing further prolonging the chaos that was bound to happen when everyone figured out that she'd found it.

"It's beautiful," Brittany turned her head and smiled at Santana.

She smiled back and decided that she was ready to tell the salesman that she'd found it.

"What are you two whispering about?" Kurt interrupted Santana's thunder.

Brittany gave Santana a little nudge and after a sigh she revealed, "I found it."

"Oh my god!" Rachel squealed.

"Which one?" Kurt asked in an even higher pitch than Rachel.

"That one," she pointed, "with the three square diamonds and the three round ones on both sides."

"Princess cut," Kurt huffed.

"Huh?" Santana looked at him with a quirked eyebrow.

"The square ones are princess cut," Rachel answered for him.

"Whatever. That's it! That's the one!" Santana said, her excitement building with each statement.

"Excellent decision," Ian said and then removed the ring from its holder in the tray, "this is a 14 karat white gold band with three princess cut diamonds set with four prongs each and six round, channel set diamonds, totaling two full carats."

"Whoa..." was heard from all around Santana.

"Can I...?" she asked and gestured with her hand for her to hold the ring.

"Of course," Ian answered and placed the ring into Santana's open palm.

"Umm, this is going to sound weird," Santana started as she stared at the ring, "but, can take a picture of it?"

"Are you definitely going to buy it?" Ian asked this tone that could go either way in the means of joke or serious.

"Well, that's kind of why I need to take the picture..." Santana hesitated and then really started to wish she had come alone because now everyone was staring at her like she had a million heads.

'Well this awkward.'

"I um..." she stopped speaking because she knew she shouldn't be. It would be one thing if she were telling a salesman that she was never going to see again that her future mother-in-law needed to approve before she bought the ring, but to tell three of hers and Quinn's closest friends was going too far. This is all on top Berto already knowing.

But they were looking at her like she was crazy.

"If I tell you this, you all have to swear on everything and everyone you love, including your jobs, your families and your best friends, that you will never, ever as long you live, breathe a word of it to Quinn. Not a word!" Santana said forcefully in a tone she hadn't had to utilize in quite some time.

Everyone nodded, even Ian who didn't even know who Quinn was.

Santana took a deep breath and began telling the secret that she'd been burdened with over a month before, "Quinn's mother knows about us-"

"What?" Kurt clearly couldn't contain himself.

"She figured it out while she was here with Quinn's father. He still has no idea and it's going to stay that way," Santana paused for just a second.

It was enough of a pause for Brittany to mumble, "He's such a fucking dick," and have it be heard.

"Wow, Britt, tell us how you really feel!" Rachel laughed.

"That is how I feel!"

"Aw hun," Kurt cooed, "We know."

"Oh."

"Anyways," Santana continued, "Judy informed me that she knows and that if I ever hurt her daughter she'll hurt me. Of course in my nervous stupor I told her that I wanted to marry her and then she told me that she has to approve of the ring first. Hence the need to take a picture."

"Wait, so why did we swear on literally everything that's good in our lives that we wouldn't tell Quinn?" Rachel questioned.

"She doesn't know that her mother knows because if she did, she'd never come out to her, which is what Judy wants isn't it?" Brittany asked with wide eyes.

"Exactly-"

"How did you figure all that out?" Kurt stood staring at Brittany, flabbergasted.

"She's always been smart, Kurtrude, but no one ever gave her a chance," Santana proudly defended Brittany intelligence.

"Thank you," Brittany whispered and tried to hide her blushing cheeks.

"Anytime," Santana smiled and bathed in the moment of genuine friendship for a moment. She then placed the ring on the blue velvety cloth that Ian had set down on the counter and snapped a couple pictures with her phone. "Hopefully I'll get a response soon. I told her I was going this afternoon."

"What did she say?" Rachel was far too interested.

"She wished me good luck," Santana smiled and shrugged.

"She didn't say you were going a little fast, did she?" Rachel asked, clearly hinting at something.

"No, but do you want to say that?" Santana got very defensive very quickly.

"I-"

"Because by the time I actually propose to her we'll have been together for a year and we will have known each other for six. And being engaged to be married does not mean that we _are_ married. That could happen ten years from now, I don't know. All I know is that I want her to be wearing that until then," Santana huffed and pointed to the ring that was glistening on the counter.

"How long have you been preparing that?" Rachel asked and pursed her lips.

"Since last night when I told Quinn's mom I was buying the ring today," Santana smiled with half of her lips.

"So, now we have to wait?" Kurt crossed his arms and leaned against the case.

"Uh... yeah?" Santana answered and joined him on the counter.

"Umm...?" Ian the Impatient hummed behind them.

"She said it'll be quick, god," Brittany turned around and shut him right up.

And then as if on cue, Santana's phone lit up with a message.

Everyone just stared at it. Santana just let it sit in her hand until the screen went black. Then she snapped out of it and slid her way to the message.

**Q's Mom:  
**Stunning. It's perfect, Santana. Now all you need is to get her to tell me.

"Ugh," Santana sighed.

"She didn't like it?" Brittany asked with all kinds of disappointment.

"No, she loves it," Santana answered with the same tone as the 'ugh.'

"Then... what's wrong?" Rachel asked trying to sneak a peek at the message but she was too short.

"She reminded me of the wall I have to scale," Santana sighed.

"You know what?" Kurt turned around so that he could make eye contact with Santana, "Don't worry about that right now, we can figure that out later because right now you have a gorgeous ring to buy."

"You're right," Santana smiled and turned around and twisted her backpack around to her front to dig her wallet out, "I'm definitely getting it."

"Wonderful," Señor Salesman said clasping his hands together and dollar signs lighting up in his eyes again, "Now, will you be opening an account with us today?"

"No," Santana answered confidently without even knowing how much all that bling was going to cost, "You take debit, right?"

"Umm... of course."

"Perfect and what size is that?" Santana asked with the goal of making Ian feel like a very small person.

Ian pursed his lips and walked over to where one of the registers was, then came back with a bunch of sizing rings. It only took a couple of comparisons before he said, "It's a six and a half."

"How long will it take to get it sized?" Santana asked.

"Sizing generally takes two weeks, but because it's the holiday season, it could take longer," Ian answered without the sass he'd been giving before.

"What if she gets it now, can it be resized after?" Kurt asked in a flirty tone.

"Yes and if you get the protection plan all of the diamonds will be protected and any sizing will be of no charge, for life" he answered.

"Okay, I'll take it," Santana agreed still without knowledge of how much it was all going to cost.

"Great," Ian said as he put the tray back into the case and locked it up, "I'll be right back with the box and meet you over there," he pointed the register where he got the ring sizers.

Once the salesman was officially out of sight, Rachel turned to Santana and started whisper yelling, "You don't even know how much this costs yet!"

"Rach, it's cool, I can afford it."

"Oh yeah."

...}{...

"Do you have a plan for when you ask her?" Brittany asked as she and Santana settled into a seat on the C train that finally opened up.

"I think so," Santana laughed a little, "Its execution depends on how nervous I am and how much everyone else cooperates."

"You _know_ everyone is going to cooperate!" Brittany laughed, "Ooo I don't know why, but that reminds me, could you send me one of those pictures of the ring so I can show Dez? She was begging me to be able to see it."

"Well, _that_ reminds _me_, do you think I could keep it in your room somewhere? I mean, I can't really hide it anywhere else in the apartment," Santana shrugged.

"Yeah, sure!"

"You can show her in person," Santana smiled, "How is that, by the way?"

"It's so good," Brittany sighed and slumped down a little in the seat.

"You know, you can invite her over more often, I know she's getting a roommate soon. I'm _sure_ I can get Q out of the apartment," Santana said with a smirk and a nudge with her elbow.

"I'll keep that in mind after New Years..." Brittany said and then twisted her lips a little.

"After? Why, what's that?" Santana asked fairly nonchalantly as she got up to prep her exit from the train.

"Well, um, Dez has this rule..."

"You're waiting? Oh my god!"

"Please don't make fun of me," Brittany pleaded quietly as the doors opened at their stop, "Because I actually agree with it and I want to wait, too."

"It's sweet.-"

"All of my other relationships started with sex and I want it to be _part_ of this relationship not the base of it-wait, what?" Brittany interrupted herself.

"I think it's a good idea," Santana smiled and chuckled a little, "and romantic."

"Oh... me too."

"I know, you just told me."

"Oh yeah," Brittany said and they both laughed.

They walked a little while just listening to the sound of the city around them until they got to within a half a block of the apartment, where Santana realized she needed to execute part two of her proposal plan, "Hey Britt?"

"Yeah, San?" Brittany answered with a smile.

She started feeling _very_ anxious as she prepared what she was going to say, "I was wondering if you could possibly do me a really gigantic favor."

"Anything," Brittany replied with a smile just as they approached the door to their building.

Santana _had_ to ask her before they got inside, "While you guys are home, could you try to convince Quinn that coming out to her mother is a good idea?"

"Okay, maybe not anything..."

"Please? She'll listen to you. I know she will. Just talk to her about how much her mom has changed since she left her father. Please?" she was not above getting on her knees and actually begging.

Brittany stood looking at Santana with a torn look on her face. She bit down on her bottom lip and then opened her mouth, "I'll try, but I'm not sure I can guarantee anything. We know how good I was at getting you to come out-"

"This is different," Santana was sure, "Quinn's in a much better place than I was in high school."

"I guess," Brittany sighed, "I promise I'll try as hard as I can. I just... promise me that if she doesn't do it, you won't be mad at me."

"I promise," Santana assured, "And I owe you, even of she doesn't tell her."

"No you don't. I want you to be able to slip that five thousand dollars onto her finger almost as much as you do and I'm genuinely happy to help my best friend," Brittany smiled warmly.

"Thank you," Santana said and immediately wrapped Brittany up in a hug.

"You're welcome. Now put that thing in my purse just in case she's up there. It's crazy enough that you've been traversing the city with it out like that," Brittany joked and took the bag from Santana after she looked at the ring one last time before they went inside to where Quinn could have easily been waiting.

Ring?  
Check.  
Recruit Brittany to Operation Out of the Closet?  
Check.  
Apply Operation Out of the Closet?  
Work in progress

* * *

**A/N: Thanks to everyone that's stayed faithful to this little mess I've been creating. I say mess in the best way possible. Also welcome to every that's new. And finally, trolls GTFO. I don't have time for your bs. And if you so decide that you _need_ to post something unnecessarily negative, at least be _somewhat_ respectful and say it under a pen name. This is the last time I will address this publicly because honestly, I don't care enough to ever mention it again. Just know that your comments won't be read by the masses not because I feel embarrassed or insulted, but because you are useless to me and everyone else. Feel free to leave criticism, I welcome it with wide open arms, but honestly I don't give a flying shit if someone doesn't think this or anything else I've written is "readworthy" (add a hyphen and it _is_ a word) because I'm not here to please one cowardly little shit.**

**A/N 2: Hope you all liked this one! Sorry I just threw out all thems fightin' words, but sometimes you gotsta. Anywhoodles, let me know what you think (taking into consideration my previous comments of course) and look for another update tomorrow around the same time.**


	28. Holiday Migration

December 2015, New York City  
8th Ave & 31st St, aka Penn Station

With finals, mash-up manufacturing, secret ring buying, silent dread over going home, Kurt being back, the end of the Brittany drama, the start of Brittany's new fling and the accompanying interest, Santana and Quinn didn't have time to remember that they were about to be spending a week apart from each other. It wasn't until the night before that they really realized that this was going to be the longest they'd been apart since their relationship began nearly a year ago.

Everyone else thought they were acting a little melodramatic when they were continuously telling each other how much they were going to miss each other as they waited for a Long Island Railroad train to be announced.

Due to everyone's similar schedules, Santana, Quinn, Brittany, Dez, Berto and Georgia had coincidentally all arranged transportation home for the same day. Well, some coincidentally, some on purpose. They made a plan to all meet at Penn Station so that they could see each other off before their holiday migration. Some of them might have had to wait a little longer than others, but it was worth it to say goodbye to their friends.

The first ones that needed to depart: Quinn, Brittany and Dez. They had flights out of JFK and in order to get to the airport that was located in Queens they needed to take a train to Jamaica then the Airtrain to JFK. It was a long process that they needed to start early in order to make their flights.

Cue Quinn and Santana's melodrama.

"I'm gonna miss you so much," Santana pouted and kissed Quinn.

"I'm gonna miss you, too," Quinn said wrapping her arms around Santana's waist a little tighter and kissing her.

"Oh my god!" Rachel, who wasn't leaving the city and was just there to say goodbye scoffed at them, "It's a friggin' week!"

"That's a long time!" Santana snapped back.

"No it isn't," Berto sided with Rachel.

"Oh shut up, B! Your girlfriend is going with you!"

"I think it's cute," Georgia took Santana and Quinn's side.

"Have I ever told you how much I like you more than him?" Santana smiled.

"Every time I see you," Georgia smiled back.

"Umm..." Dez broke into the conversation, "I know that we can like, get on any one of these trains, but we should probably be on the next one they announce so we can make the right Airtrain."

The next train was going to be announced within minutes and if they were going to find seats together, they were going to have to join the massive flood of Long Islanders to the track.

"It's gonna be okay, babe," Quinn whispered and kissed Santana's forehead, "We're going to talk every day and we'll FaceTime and then before you know it, you'll be back and then the next day you'll be picking me up at the airport."

"Right," Santana held her forehead to Quinn's.

"Christ!"

"Uh... Rachel?" Brittany scrunched her face and got her attention, "You're Jewish."

Everyone laughed at Brittany's perfectly timed call out. The laughter reminded them why they were all at the train station in the first place. They took their time saying goodbyes, especially Quinn and Santana. When they were done, they all looked up at the big board listing all of the trains and their departure times. Quinn and Dez grabbed the handles of their suitcases and Brittany bent down bent down and wrapped her hand around her duffle bag's handles, all preparing for the announcement.

"Now boarding on Track 18, the 9:37AM to Huntington..."

"I love you!" Quinn turned to Santana and gave her a quick peck.

"I love you, too!" Santana held onto her hand gave her another kiss.

"Come on, Q!" Brittany insisted as she and Dez pushed forward in the flood.

"I'll call you when I'm at JFK!" Quinn said as she rushed to catch up to her travel buddies.

"I love you!" Santana called out.

"I love you, too!" Quinn yelled causing a decent amount of people to look at her.

Santana watched the track entrance until she couldn't see Quinn anymore, then she grabbed her suitcase and turned around. Rachel, Berto and Georgia were all staring at her.

"What? We're in love," while that was true, she said it in a sarcastic fashion knowing that if she'd said it for real, her friends would never let her live it down.

"Shall we wait upstairs?" Georgia asked as she prepped her bag for movement.

"Can we get coffee first? I need something comforting," Santana said as she started walking towards Starbucks without waiting for a reply.

"Coffee is comforting for you?" Georgia asked as everyone followed behind Santana.

"When it's made right, yeah," Santana answered and immediately thought of how Quinn made her coffee.

This was going to be a long seven days.

...}{...

The 9:37 AM LIRR to Huntington

As Quinn watched Manhattan move slowly away from her through the window, she tried not to think about her girlfriend. Everyone was right, it was just a week and they were going to talk so much it was going to be like they never left each other. Unfortunately, she could keep telling herself that until her brain fell out of her head and she wasn't going to stop thinking about how much she already missed her.

She took her gaze from the window and looked at Dez and Brittany in the seats across from her. Because it was so early on a weekday, they were able to get the seats in the middle of the car that are three and three facing each other. It was much easier to fit themselves and their stuff that way. She watched them being a flirty and cute for a second before she got an idea... and could feel jealous that that they were together and Santana was still at Penn.

"So, you're from Pittsburgh?" Quinn asked Dez, hoping that talking about something very far removed from Santana would keep her from thinking about her.

"Yup, lived there all my life. Well, except for now of course," Dez laughed a little and Quinn caught Brittany looking with her lip in between her teeth. Dez didn't see it because Brittany was next to her, she should have felt it though.

"Do you have any brothers or sisters?" as many questions as Quinn could think of, she was going to ask.

"Jeez, Quinn, twenty questions much?" Brittany broke her stare at Dez and looked to Quinn.

"Well, I already know enough about you," Quinn tapped Brittany's shin with the toe of her shoe.

"It's okay," Dez said softly to Brittany.

Quinn was starting to realize why people always said that she and Santana were gross. Brittany and Dez were so cute it was disgusting.

"I have two brothers. My older brother's name is Sebastian and my little brother's name is Demetrius. Demetrius is actually my twin brother, but he's ten minutes younger than I am so I call him my little brother. It's funny because he's nearly a foot taller than me," Dez released the punch line and Quinn and Brittany fell for it, laughing at the joke.

"Is he in school, too?"

"Yeah. He attends the University of Michigan on a full football scholarship. He's one of their starting tight ends," Dez said as if it was nothing.

"Holy shit!" Quinn gaped.

"No. The real 'holy shit' thing about it is that he was being scouted all season and he wants to finish school, so he doesn't want to enter the draft until _next_ year," Quinn continued to gape at Dez, "He said that he doesn't want all that other hard work to go to waste. I get it. I'm the same way. We all are. Our parents taught us to finish things that we start."

"The parents that named you all after Shakespeare characters," Brittany teased and nudged into Dez.

"Hey, my parents are amazing. So they gave their kids weird names? Desdemona isn't as bad as, I don't know, Princess," Dez gave Brittany that inside joke look as she said the name and Brittany instantly started laughing.

Of course Quinn wanted to know what was so funny, "I definitely missed something."

Through her slowly dying laughter, Brittany responded, "There's this girl in the company, her name is Princess. Like, legitimately, that is her name. I know we shouldn't laugh because that's her name, but like, seriously? Princess?"

"I mean, that's really setting expectations high really early isn't it?" Dez made a 'really?' face.

"Yeah, that's pretty ridiculous," Quinn laughed along and then moved on to her next question as a lull settled over the group, "Shakespeare characters?"

"My parents met in an Intro to Shakespeare class at Brown in their sophomore year and it's been smooth ever since, despite what the Bard said," Dez smiled.

"He said a lot of things about love. I think he might have been a little bipolar to be completely honest. Love him, but he had to be a little wishy washy to come up with all of that," Quinn gritted her teeth and contorted her lips a little.

"Or he was a few people. Who knows?" Dez shrugged.

"It's interesting that your Ivy League parents produced two super athletic children. I don't mean that negatively or anything," Quinn shook her head a little and tried to back track when she realized she might be sounding a little snobby.

Dez just smiled though, "It's funny, my parents say that, too. Although in high school, my mom was this huge track star and my dad played club soccer."

Quinn just gaped at her again.

"Dez is pretty smart, too! Isn't your GPA in all of your Fordham classes like, a 3.8?"

Brittany smiled big and squeezed Dez's knee.

"Stupid C in Spanish 4," Dez mumbled.

"Lemme guess? Your brother has a super high GPA too even though he probably only needs a like a 2.5 to keep his scholarship," Quinn gaped some more.

Dez nodded and then laughed, "And Sebastian went to Penn State."

"I can't deal with this anymore, your family's too perfect. I bet everyone is like super gorgeous, too," Quinn huffed, crossing her arms across her chest.

"Show her that picture on your phone," Brittany insisted.

"How about after we get off here and onto the other train?" Dez said getting up and gathering her stuff.

"Oh shit!" Quinn gasped and followed Dez's lead. They all clambered off of the train and made their way to the escalator, then the Airtrain platform where the train was already there waiting.

Once their bags were above their heads and they were settled in seats, Dez pulled out her phone, tapped and swiped at the screen then handed it Quinn.

"Oh my god!" Quinn gasped as soon as she looked at the picture. Sitting in the middle were a man and a woman that Quinn assumed were Dez's parents. She zoomed in to get a better look at the unbelievably attractive family. Her father had blonde hair, green eyes, a perfect smile and skin that looked a lot like Brittany's. Her mother however, had hair just as curly and long as Dez's, eyes that were light brown, skin just a little darker than her children and her own perfect smile. The kids were standing behind their parents, all with matching perfect smiles. Dez was the only one to have gotten her dad's green eyes, but they'd all received a complexion that had clearly come from both of their parents.

"Demetrius is the tall, super built one," Dez explained as Quinn continued to gape at her family.

If Dez hadn't told her, Quinn never would have guessed that they were twins. She actually would have guessed that her other brother was her twin. He was only a few inches taller than her and had the exact same nose as her and their father. Demetrius was a giant compared to his brother and sister and had tattoos on both of his huge biceps. He wasn't as big as Berto, but it was obvious that he played football. His hair was pretty long for a guy and just as curly as Dez and their mom. Sebastian's hair was cut too short for Quinn to be able to tell if his hair was the same.

"Yup, all gorgeous," Quinn said as she handed Dez her phone back.

"Thanks, but we aren't perfect," Dez said through a kind of sad smile.

"Oh please," Quinn jested.

"No really, a lot of our family doesn't talk to us," Dez kind of shrugged.

"Oh..." Quinn suddenly felt pretty guilty, but even more empathetic.

Dez gave that sad smile again and began speaking, "When my Dad brought my Mom home to meet his family, they told him that he needed to break it off with her or he wouldn't be part of the family anymore. Instead, he married her and said goodbye to a lot of his family members. And he has a big family."

"Why?" Quinn had a feeling what the reason was, but she really didn't want it to be true.

"Because my Dad's family is so racist that even being half black was too much," Dez said, this time with a hint of anger.

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to," Brittany said quietly to Dez and kissed her cheek.

'Ew.'

"No, it's cool," Dez gave Brittany one of those smiles that tells the recipient just how much they care about them.

"Okay," Brittany must have known what was coming next.

Dez took a breath and continued, "When my older brother was born, my Dad called his family and told them they had a grandson. He did the same when Demetrius and I were born. They didn't want to talk to him about us, but they wanted to be somewhat involved in our lives, which they must have thought was 'big' of them," she rolled her eyes, "but it's really childish. My Dad wanted us to have our grandparents in our lives so we obliged. Fast forward to when Demetrius and I were juniors in high school. Sebastian was already at Penn State and the grandparents were of course super proud. They were proud of Demetrius and how he was a football star. They were proud of me and all the awards I won at both school and dance. They weren't so proud when they found out that I had a girlfriend and that my parents _and_ my brothers were alright with it. Cue the exit of our grandparents from our lives."

"I'm sorry," Quinn said because it was like a reflex.

"There's really no need to be. They weren't very good grandparents," Dez shrugged, "I'm just glad that my Dad isn't anything like them. Both of my parents love us no matter what we do. And my Mom's family is great, too."

"Oh! Tell her about your grandparents!" Brittany jumped up in her seat.

Dez laughed at Brittany, rolled her eyes playfully and then began a story, "My grandfather is South African. A white South African. He came to the United States on a student visa to go to Carnegie Mellon, which, I've always thought was random, but whatever. Every Thursday night, he'd go to this place not far from campus and ask to sit in the same waitress's section. Every week he'd flirt with her and he told his friends that he was going to marry her. All of his friends thought he was crazy, especially since he was from South Africa where segregation was worse than the United States. My grandmother's black, if you hadn't figured that out already," Dez laughed a little, "She thought that my grandfather was the most charming, idiotic man she'd ever met, but she agreed to go on a date with him and then another, and another until they got married in 1967. Clearly he never went back to South Africa."

"Isn't that the cutest story?" Brittany smiled bright.

"My Grampa tells it better. He has that weird South African accent that makes the story," Dez said looking up and shaking her head.

"I'd love to meet your family. All the stuff you've told me about them sounds so great," Brittany said to Dez as if it were nothing.

"Really?" Dez smiled shyly.

"Yeah," Brittany answered, breathily, probably realizing the brevity of what she had just suggested.

"I'd love to meet yours, too," Dez said in the same shy tone as before.

"Ugh, another gorgeous family!" Quinn huffed and decided that she couldn't wait for the airport to text Santana.

... }{...

Penn Station

Very few trains go to Springfield, Massachusetts from New York. There are two that go directly. One is called the Vermonter and it only has one departure from Penn Station a day at 11:33 AM. The other is the Northeast Regional. Most of the time, that line goes between Washington, D.C. and Boston and they depart like, every hour all day and night, but during the holidays, it has two that go directly to Springfield. Unfortunately, those were at 7 and 9 PM. Santana's other options were to get on a train to New Haven, Connecticut and then transfer onto a train to Springfield. No thank you.

11:33 AM it was.

Even with a train that early in the day, she was still the last one left at the station. Berto had about six million options for trains to Philly and he picked one that left at 10:36 AM. Once he and Georgia were gone, Santana and Rachel were left to wait for another hour.

Up until this moment, she'd been doing a really good job at not texting Quinn or thinking about how much she already missed her.

Then her pocket vibrated.

**I wish I was going with you instead of going to Hell.**

"Aww..."

"Shut up," Rachel mumbled.

Santana just rolled her eyes and went back to her phone.

_**It's going to be fine. Just spend a lot of time with Britt and her family. Maybe some time with your Mom. Very little with Russell.**_

"Stop telling her how much you miss her!" Rachel said slouching down in her seat.

"I'm not! I'm telling her that home isn't going to be _that_ bad," Santana scoffed back.

**How about no time with Russell?**

"Hopefully she has to spend very minimal time with Russell," Rachel said knowing just as much as everyone else how awful he was.

"She'd prefer no time."

"Well, we all know that's impossible," Rachel stated the obvious.

_**It'll be over before you know it. The whole trip home will quick and then you'll be back in the apartment with me ;)**_

**That's not my home. You are.**

Santana felt all of the air rush from her lungs when she read those words. Her heart started pounding and she could feel all of the blood in her body moving. Quinn wasn't even near her and she made her feel like this.

"Hey, are you okay?" Rachel leaned into Santana and read the messages on her screen, "Wow, I think I just fell in love with your girlfriend."

"Back off, Yentl," Santana pulled her phone away so she couldn't see it anymore.

"You know I'm joking," Rachel rolled her eyes and went back to slouching in her seat.

"I know, I just wanted to call you Yentl," Santana laughed and watched Rachel roll her eyes again.

_**I want you to know that last message actually took my breath away. I love you so much.**_

**I love you.**

"Ech, you guys are getting gross again."

"Stop reading my text messages!" Santana sat up and whipped her head to Rachel.

"Fine!" Rachel huffed.

Santana put her phone back into her pocket and sighed, "So, are you excited that your dads are coming?"

"Oh, you want to talk about me now?" Rachel snarked.

Santana just gave her a glare.

"I haven't seen them since April, of course I'm excited to see them," Rachel said with all of the forlorn feelings she had, "I'm _really_ excited for them to see the show."

"They must be the proudest dads in the history of dads," Santana said with a genuine smile.

Rachel just blushed a little and then jumped up in her seat, "Ooo! They said that they want an invitation to the wedding!"

"You told them?"

"Of course I did! You know they love that stuff and that they live vicariously through us young folk!" Rachel said with all of her annoying excitement that Santana actually loved.

Just not now, "Ugh! Stop telling everyone! I don't want to jinx it!"

"What? That's ridiculous-"

"Quinn still hasn't told her mother! If she doesn't do that: no proposal on New Year's," Santana reminded Rachel of the one real hitch in her plan.

"That's just a little hurdle that you need to get over," Rachel said waving it off.

"A hurdle? Rach, this is a huge tree lying across the road! You can jump over a hurdle by yourself, but you need other people to get rid of the tree," Santana said in an analogy that she realized was really weird once she was done saying it.

"Okay...? Well, did you like, plant some ideas in her head?" Rachel asked ignoring the weird analogy.

"She didn't want to hear it when I mentioned it last month," Santana shrugged.

"So... what? You just expect that she's going to have this epiphany and decide that she should come out to her mom while she's home?" Rachel questioned Santana's lack of following her own tree example.

"No, I may or may not have asked Brittany to say something to her about it..." Santana smiled awkwardly.

"No. You. Did. Not!"

"I think she can do it, okay?" Santana defended herself.

"If you say so," Rachel appeased.

Santana shook her head and went to sit back in her chair, when she looked at the screen displaying the arriving trains.

"Hey, my train's here," she pointed to the screen showing that it was at Track 9, "I should probably get in line so I can have a window seat and first dibs on the outlet."

"Aw. I'm gonna miss you!" Rachel teased as they got up and walked towards the exit of the Amtrak waiting area.

"That's not very nice because I was actually going to say that to you," Santana said and pursed her lips.

"Sorry..."

"It's okay," Santana smiled and gave Rachel a hug, "Happy Hanukkah, Rachel."

"Merry Christmas, Santana," Rachel squeezed her back.

"Tell your dads I said 'hi' and of course they're invited to the wedding," Santana said as she backed away towards Track 9.

"I will! And call me! Especially if she tells her!" Rachel called out.

Santana just laughed and rolled her eyes as she turned around to get in line.

* * *

**A/N: Why, hello there! I know this is later than I said it would be, but I had somethings to take care of this afternoon. Like a company softball game, then searching high and low for five years worth of W2s for a _new_ job, then fighting with my scanner, then taking care of animals that aren't mine and then remembering that I hadn't eaten all day. And that's the end of my journal entry for the day.**

**A/N 2: I know this is really just like, filler, but now you all know a little about Dez... even if some of you didn't want it. *shrug* I came up with all of that information when I originally created her and I figured I should do something with it and Quinn needed a distraction. Anywhoodles, have a wonderful evening/Glee Day and feel free to leave me some fun messages.**


	29. What If

December 2015, Lima, Ohio  
In Need of an Out

Two days after Christmas, Quinn was officially exhausted. Between Christmas Eve with her father's family and then Christmas with her mother's she was totally worn out. When Brittany sent her a text asking her if she wanted to come over and hang out with her family, she was already out the door before she even responded "yes."

"Quinn!"

'Dammit!'

"Yeah, Mom?"

"Where are you heading?" Judy asked with a smile and seemingly genuine interest as she leaned up against the door frame.

"Brittany invited me over," Quinn answered while she indicated how much she wanted to leave.

"Okay! Have fun!"

"Thanks," Quinn said and ran around her VW Beetle that her mother kept just in case Quinn decided she wanted to move back... never happening.

"Oh Quinn?"

"Yes?" Quinn answered, standing with one foot in her car and the other holding her up on the pavement.

"Could we do dinner tonight?" her mother asked with this weird vulnerable look in her eyes.

"Uh... yeah, sure, Mom," Quinn actually felt like she'd feel bad if she'd said 'no.'

"Wonderful! See you at 7?" Judy looked way too happy. Not like she was up to something too happy, but just, not Judy Fabray happy.

"Okay. See ya, Mom!" Quinn yelled out and got in her car before her mother could stop her again.

Brittany's house was still just a few blocks away so Quinn was there in a few minutes. She actually could have walked, but considering she walked pretty much every other day of her life, she figured this once was just fine. She parked her car out front and walked up their walkway to the front door, where she rang the doorbell.

Brittany's mom, Leslie, opened the door with huge smile, "You still have permission to just walk in, Quinn."

"You know I just feel too weird doing that," Quinn smiled back and hugged Brittany's mom.

"It's so wonderful to see you," she said to Quinn, "and still as beautiful as ever."

"Thank you," Quinn felt her cheeks burn, "It's great to see you, too."

"Hi, Quinn," Brittany yelled from where Quinn thought was the kitchen.

"We're all in the kitchen, come on," Leslie moved to the side to let Quinn pass and then closed the door behind her.

Quinn couldn't stop her gigantic smile from forming as she passed through the Pierce home. She always felt like it was her home away from home. Even now when her home was somewhere different.

"Quinn!" Brittany's little sister, Jessie, who was no longer little, jumped up and ran to Quinn the instant she stepped into the kitchen.

"Hey, Munchkin!" Quinn laughed and hugged her.

"Quinn," she stepped back from the hug and crossed her arms, "I am fourteen years old, you can't call me Munchkin anymore."

"I will call you Munchkin as long as you are younger than me," Quinn crossed her arms back, "Which will be forever."

"Ugh," Jessie rolled her eyes _just_ like Santana and turned around to return to the table.

"Hi, Mr. Pierce," Quinn waved to Brittany's dad.

"You're never going to call me Stephen are you?" he asked as he got up to hug her.

"Probably not," she giggled.

"So, Quinn," Leslie started as everyone settled down at the table, "tell me everything you know about Dez."

"Mum?" Brittany whined.

"What? I just want to know if what you told me is true," she smiled at Quinn who was cracking up.

"I like Dez," Quinn answered, "she's really funny and smart. Every time I've ever been around her she wasn't afraid to speak her mind, which I think is good for Britt. And from what I can tell she cares a lot about Brittany. I'm also a little biased because she rescued me from a really awkward situation and she didn't even really know me. That, in my book, is good people."

"Is she as pretty in person as she is in her Facebook pictures?" Jessie asked with her annoyed teenage tone.

"Pictures don't do her justice," Quinn laughed, "her eyes are gorgeous!"

"I'm starting to think that _you_ like her," Stephen leaned over and nudged Quinn's arm, "What's Santana gonna think?"

"Huh?" Quinn wasn't ready for that.

"Rumor has it you two have been shacking it up in the city," he said in that jokey dad voice.

"Daddy!"

"What rumor? Who... how did you...? I can't... oh my god..." Quinn didn't even know what her brain was thinking. She wasn't even sure it was thinking at all, her mouth was just spitting stuff out while her heart throbbed away and her blood raced through her veins.

"Quinn, I told them," Brittany said quickly with an anxious look on her face.

"We haven't said anything to anyone, honey," Brittany's mom said with her concern and then sent a glare at her husband.

"I'm sorry, Quinn, I didn't mean to scare you," Stephen looked absolutely mortified at what had just happened, "I promise your secret has stayed safe in this house. We know not everyone is as open as we are."

With the aftermath of her panic still hanging around in her body, Quinn breathed out, "I should have realized that you were teasing me."

"Nope," Brittany's dad insisted, "I should have been more sensitive. The end."

"You gotta drop it when Daddy says 'the end,'" Jessie stated as she feverishly texted someone, "Can I go to the movies Emma and Jackie?"

"How do you plan on getting there slash paying for it?" Leslie asked her.

Jessie put both of her elbows on the table, then her chin onto her fists and in the sweetest 'I'm the youngest child give me what I want voice' said, "Mommy and Daddy."

"At least she's honest," Stephen shrugged, "I'll take her."

"We can both take her and then go grocery shopping together," Brittany's mom said all flirtatiously as she leaned closer to him.

"Only if you let me sneak things into the cart," he winked back.

"I guess I could overlook a few things at checkout..."

"The movie's at 3:30!" Jessie yelled at her parents who were in the same room as her.

"Well, we better get going!" Stephen yelled back in the same tone as his youngest daughter.

Quinn and Brittany were trying so hard not to laugh. They were horribly unsuccessful.

"Order a pizza or something," Brittany's dad laughed as he dropped a twenty on the table between Quinn and Brittany who were still cracking up over the prior events.

"We should be back in a couple hours," Leslie said as she slung her purse over her shoulder, "think you'll still be here?"

"Yeah," Quinn smiled, "My Mom wants me to be home at 7:00 for dinner so I have a while."

"Oh, so maybe don't order a pizza?" Stephen said with a goofy smile.

"Oh, we're definitely ordering a pizza," Brittany answered for them and then waved the twenty, "maybe two with this thing."

"Okay, girls, see you in little bit," Brittany's mom said as Jessie gave her and her husband a death glare, "we have a movie to get to!"

Jessie promptly pushed her parents out of the kitchen and to the door that led to the garage and within probably seconds, they were gone.

"I wish I could say I was never like that," Quinn laughed as she leaned back in her seat.

"Me too," Brittany said as she got up to grab the phone, "Medium bacon and a large extra cheese?"

"Mmm..." Quinn hummed her disapproval through a squint.

Brittany rolled her eyes, "A large bacon and a medium extra cheese?"

"That sounds right," Quinn smiled and then laughed.

For some reason Brittany felt the need to leave the kitchen to order the pizza, but since Quinn had learned not to question things Brittany did, she didn't.

"Thirty minutes. It's the freakin' afternoon! Who orders pizza now?" Brittany came back in the kitchen.

"You just did."

"I mean besides us," Brittany said in her 'duh' voice, "Wanna watch a movie? I haven't watched _Love Actually_ yet and you know that's a necessity."

"You know I can't say 'no' to _Love Actually_," Quinn said as she followed Brittany into the living room.

"That's why I asked," Brittany looked back from the shelving unit that housed all of her family's DVDs. When she found it she let out a little squeak and skipped over to the DVD player.

Quinn laughed as she watched Brittany dance in front of the TV as she set everything up. She was really glad that she was there at Brittany's house instead of by herself in her room waiting for Santana to text her when she could FaceTime.

"Thanks for inviting me over. I really needed this," Quinn said as she pulled her feet up onto the couch.

"You know, you could have come over sooner. I mean like, you could have come over on Christmas if you really needed to," Brittany said as she plopped down on the couch a cushion away from Quinn.

Quinn shook her head and snarked, "I couldn't have missed Christmas with the Jensens. God Britt? What are you thinking?"

"Phew you're right. I don't know," Brittany played along as she lifted up the remote to press play, at least Quinn thought she was going to, "How's your mom?"

"Umm... she's good, I guess," Quinn answered simply. She'd much rather watch attractive British people fall in love with each other than talk about her mother. But of course Brittany was holding the remote.

"My mom told me that your mom wanted to start a book club," Brittany put the remote in her lap and Quinn contemplated snatching it away.

"She read the _Fifty Shades of Gray_ books three years ago and she still hasn't stopped talking about how she wants to find more like them," Quinn sighed as she rolled her eyes and then felt a little sick as she remembered her mother telling her about the books.

Brittany laughed a little and still didn't pick up the remote, "She told me because she was surprised that your mom wanted to do something like that. It's not very Judy Fabray of her."

Where was Brittany going with this?

Quinn decided to bite a little bit, "She's been doing a lot of things that aren't very Judy Fabray..."

"Like...?"

'Seriously?'

"Like actually caring where I was going today," Quinn answered in a slightly annoyed tone then she sighed and said, "And she stuck up for me when my father was being a douche."

"Your father is always a douche," Brittany stated austerely.

"I know," Quinn answered in a matter-of-fact tone, "There were actually a few moments Christmas Eve that I wished my Mom had been there to take my side."

"Seriously?" Brittany shifted her positioning on the couch so that her leg was tucked underneath her and she was now facing Quinn completely. She also put the remote on the coffee table.

"Yeah, I know. I can't believe I wished my Mom had been around," Quinn said with a snarky tone.

Then, Brittany got serious. More serious than when she said Quinn's dad was a douche all the time.

"Have you ever thought about, you know, _telling_ your mom?"

Of course she had.

"Of course I have," Quinn answered without a hint at where she was going with it.

"And...?"

"And I remember that it's a really fucking stupid idea!" Quinn realized she sounded a little more fumed than she wanted to sound.

"But you just said yourself that she's changed!" Brittany smacked the back of the couch on the word 'changed' and surprised both Quinn and herself.

"What? Do _you_ think I should tell her?" Quinn crossed her arms and leaned back a little waiting patiently for whatever Brittany's wonderfully enlightening answer was going to be.

"I do. Mostly because of the way that you reacted to what my Dad said to you. Doesn't it feel awful to be _that_ afraid?" Brittany sounded sad. Like she already knew how awful it felt. Of course she knew.

And Quinn wasn't going let her forget it, "You know what happened to Santana, so why are you pushing this?"

"Because your mother left your father and came back to you! Santana's mother never did that! She will _never_ do that. You need to give your mother the credit she deserves," Brittany said sternly, a tone that Quinn was just not used hearing from her carefree friend. Clearly, Brittany wasn't as carefree as she used to be.

Quinn could only think of one thing to say, "What if she tells my father?"

"I..." Brittany's confidence seemed to hitch, but she shook it off, "I don't think she will. Even if she doesn't like what you've told her, I still think she'll like you more than Russell."

Quinn couldn't stop the light chuckle that came out of her nose.

"So, will you think about it again?" Brittany asked gingerly.

"I don't know," Quinn answered knowing full well that now this was literally _all_ she was going to be able to think about, "Will you press play now? Please?"

"Yeah," Brittany gave her a half smile and reached out to push the enter button on the remote.

Quinn sighed as the Universal Studios globe spun on the screen, "I'll think about it."

...}{...

**S:  
**-FaceTime 9? I can't wait to see your beautiful face. I miss it.  
-And you.

Quinn kept looking between her phone and her computer. Their times matched perfectly.

8:49.

Why did Brittany have to say all that stuff about her mom? And why was Quinn letting it get to her?

Telling her mother was absolutely out of the question. One hundred percent. There was no way it was going to happen. Not while her father was still paying her tuition at least. Maybe after he paid for the last semester, but not until then.

The end.

If only "the end" actually meant the end.

The thought of telling her mother was incessant.

No matter how many negative outcomes she imagined, there was always the counter-thought that she might actually be okay with it.

It was that thought that prevented it from being "the end."

9:03.

Did she miss the call? Santana was never late.

Quinn looked down to the icon at the bottom of the screen and there was red dot with a 1 inside of it telling her she missed the call.

She also had a text message.

**S:  
**Hey, are you not on your computer?

She'd been so lost, she pretty much went deaf and blind. Somehow, she hadn't seen the little camera bouncing up and down and the weird ringing sound it made when someone was calling.

Quinn opened FaceTime and immediately called Santana back.

It took mere seconds for Santana to show up on her screen and for her to be able to smile and say, "Hi."

"Hi, Beautiful," Santana smiled back and folded her fingers up and down in a wave.

"Babe, I miss you," Quinn sighed as she rested her chin into her palm.

"I miss you, too."

"You are not allowed to accept a position at a law firm that makes you go on business trips," Quinn picked her head up and pointed at her screen.

"What about you?" Santana scoffed playfully, "What if you have to go on book signings?"

"Then you're coming with me," Quinn said with her 'no questions about it' tone.

"Sure, I'll just tell my boss that my girlfriend is going out of town and I have to go with her. I'm sure they'll be fine with it," Santana said with a playful eye roll and plenty of sarcasm.

"Oh my god! I went to Brittany's today and hung out with her family... Jessie rolled her eyes just like you. It was unbelievable," Quinn said, over-annunciating every syllable in the last word.

"Oh, I'm so proud," Santana put her hand to her chest and wiped away invisible tears with the index finger on her other.

"How was your day?" Quinn asked as she propped her chin up on her palms, ready to hear all about it.

"It was really great!"

"Yeah? What'd you do?" Quinn really wanted to hear all about it. She missed her so much and just wanted to hear and watch her speak.

"Well, I slept until nine, because that's sleeping in with the Aunts," she laughed a little, "Vicky made French Toast complete with powdered sugar. I'm positive she's determined to make me go back to New York fat. Oh! I got the track done for Jackson! It's really awesome and I can't wait for him to tell me what he thinks about it. I sent it to Britt and she called me screeching about how awesome _she_ thought it was..."

'Ugh! Seriously though, why was Britt hounding me about telling my mom? I guess my reaction to her dad was a little rash. And it does suck having to hide something I'm perfectly comfortable with...'

"...And they want to know if we want to come up here for this big fair thing that happens every year in September since we won't have school..."

'How can I possibly keep hiding the most amazing thing in my life?'

"...It's got all these rides and concerts and orgies..."

"Wait, what?"

"Are you okay?" Santana leaned a little bit closer to her camera.

Quinn released a breath and closed her eyes. When she opened them, she was met with caring eyes that were easily going to pull what Quinn was thinking about right out of her, "Babe?"

"Yes, Beautiful?"

It's amazing how a simple adjective can turn a person to mush.

Quinn licked her lips that had suddenly become dry, took a breath and asked, "How did you feel after you came out to your parents?"

"Honestly?"

"Of course honestly," Quinn thought that was implied.

"Sad," not the answer Quinn was hoping to hear, "but mostly free," that was a much more encouraging answer, "the sense of freedom outweighed however much sadness I felt. The worst feeling was having to hide how much I cared about someone from literally everyone. When I told them, it actually felt like a wight was lifted off of me. I know it sounds cliché, but I seriously felt lighter," she chuckled softly.

"And you don't regret it?" Quinn asked, hoping for another encouraging answer.

"The only thing I regret is not having the courage to do it sooner," Santana answered without the slightest bit of doubt in her voice.

"Quinn, honey, I'm going to bed," Judy said to Quinn's closed door and then continued walking down the hall.

Quinn froze for a second and then went into hyperdrive.

The first thing she did was grab the corner of the FaceTime window with her cursor and drag it to the side of the screen until she couldn't see Santana anymore, "Can you still see me?"

"Yeah...? Q, what are you doing?" Quinn could hear the urgent concern in Santana's voice but she had to ignore it.

Next she opened up her desk drawer and found a pair of ear buds that didn't have a microphone. She plugged them into the headphone jack, put one of the buds in her ear and asked, "Can you still hear me?"

"Of course I can still hear you! What are you doing?" now Santana sounded like she just thought Quinn was acting weird.

Quinn dragged the FaceTime window back into view and said, "You'll see. Just don't go anywhere. Stay here and be my invisible moral support."

"Okay...?" she looked as clueless as she sounded.

Quinn pulled the earbud out of her ear and put the FaceTime back out of sight. Then she got up and yanked her door open.

"Mom?"

"Yes, Quinnie?" Judy popped her head out of her room.

"Can I talk to you for a second?"

* * *

**A/N: As per usual I am not sorry for the cliffhanger. I have a giant maniacal smile on my face and I'm twisting my invisible mustache. Can't wait to hear how much you hate me. Lol. **


	30. A Bus

December 2015, Lima, Ohio  
Boldly Going Where No Fabray Has Gone Before...

"Mom?"

"Yes, Quinnie?" Judy popped her head out of her room.

As soon as she saw her mother it felt like the world was moving in fast forward but she just couldn't catch up.

"Can I talk to you for a second?" her mouth was already dry.

"You can always talk to me, Quinn," Judy responded unexpectedly.

It was so unexpected, Quinn's fragile flow of thought was interrupted and she didn't know what to do next.

"Did you want me to come into your room?" her mother asked, fully stepping our of her room and into the hallway.

"Yes," Quinn snapped back onto the train of thought she needed to be on, "please."

"Okay," her mother said quietly and made her way across the hall. As she approached, Quinn retreated back into her room. She stepped in front of her desk and sat in her chair knowing that Santana was right there. She might not have seen her, but she knew that she wouldn't have left. Hopefully her mother didn't notice the green light at the top of her screen. She mouthed "I love you" to the camera and stood back up. She had to be standing. Standing was the only real control she felt that she had over this situation.

When Quinn turned around, her mother was already sitting down on her bed. As soon as she made eye contact with her mother, she could feel her heart throbbing in her chest, her pulse in her ears and the air leave the room.

"Is everything okay, sweetheart?" Judy asked with more genuine and unexpected concern.

"Yes," Quinn answered quietly through a light smile.

Her heart was still overzealously pumping blood through her body, but everything was okay. She was about to do something that every girl always wants to do: Tell her mother that she was in love and in a world where people give up every single day, she was willing to do whatever it took to keep that love in her life.

It didn't matter that she was in love with a girl. She was in love.

"I'm in love," she said over her pounding heart and then swallowed hard. Before her mother could ask her about 'him,' she rushed to continue, "with a girl..." she shook her head, "... a woman. She definitely isn't a girl."

"Mhm," Judy hummed with an indeterminate expression.

"We've been together for almost a year, but..." Quinn felt her throat drying out and her confidence falter, but she pressed on, "we've known each other for a long time."

Her mother's expression remained unreadable, "Do I know her?"

"Yes," Quinn swallowed at the new lump that appeared in her throat.

'Do it now,' she thought to herself while her mother remained silent.

"You've seen her fairly recently too..." 3... 2... "because..." 1... "I live with her."

"Santana..."

"I love her," Quinn's reflexes spit out and then just kept talking, "She's the most amazing thing to have ever happened to me and I've never been more happy in my life than I am right now and have been in the last year... over a year."

Quinn inhaled sharply and waited. Her mother's face remained unchanged from the expression she'd been wearing since Quinn began this confession. The air felt so thick around her that she could feel it shift as soon as Judy began to move. As Judy rose from the bed, Quinn felt all like all of her organs were caving into themselves.

Days. They must have been standing there for days. Quinn couldn't take her mother's stone face or her silence anymore.

"Please, say something," she just wanted to be put out of her misery. She wished that if her mother was going to kick her out she'd just do it already. Waiting was agonizing.

Judy's eyes shifted slightly. It was the first movement in a succession that ended with her lips curling up into a warm, teary-eyed, smiled.

Quinn's legs took her two rapid steps forward and her arms wrapped tightly around her mother, who's arms had been ready to welcome Quinn right into them. The tears that had been stacking up behind her eyes fell at will.

"Quinn, all I've ever wanted is for you to be happy," Judy kissed Quinn's forehead, then grabbed her shoulders and pushed her back to hold her at arms length, "and grandchildren."

"You'll have them," Quinn laughed and wiped her cheeks with her sleeves, "I promise."

"Santana is wonderful, honey and I can tell that she loves you very much," Judy smiled and held Quinn's hands.

"How could you...?" Quinn felt her hands slip from her mothers and smack down to her thighs.

"She didn't do all those things for your father and me, she did that for you. She was probably afraid she could lose you if we found out," Judy said sympathetically and Quinn smiled because her mother was absolutely correct. Judy sat back down on the bed and said quietly, "And she told me."

Her smile disappeared, "I'm sorry, what?" Quinn knew exactly what she'd heard, but that didn't stop her from hoping she hadn't.

"It was my fault! Please don't be angry, Quinn. Especially with Santana. I cornered her. I just... I knew you didn't live in that room and I needed to know," Quinn could hear the tears that her mother was fighting, "I know that I haven't always been the mother that you deserved and I wasn't there for you when you needed me the most, but I'm here now. I _know_ that you don't always believe that and I kick myself every day for it because it's my own fault."

"You knew! All this time, you knew!" Quinn was yelling. She wasn't sure why, but was definitely yelling. She couldn't even tell if she was angry.

"Only since that day," Judy was back on her feet by now and some of the tears she'd been holding onto had silently escaped.

"And what? Did you make Santana promise not to say anything?" Oh, she was angry alright, "And of course she agreed to it because no matter what my feelings are towards you, she's a good person and didn't want to piss off the woman that _could_ be her mother-in-law," she wasn't just angry, she was fuming because how dare she take advantage of Santana like that, "That is fucked up."

Never in her life had she cursed in front of her mother. Never in her life had she been this infuriated with her.

"I know-"

"And what was it for?" Quinn wasn't going to let her mother speak until every last one of her furious thoughts were unleashed, "So that you could have this moment where your daughter finally feels like she trusts you? You have no idea how difficult it was for me tell you that. Mostly because it's so much easier just to keep it from you. You know, I'm really glad I could assist in making you finally feel like you're a good mother."

It was harsh and Quinn knew it, but she didn't care. Her mother needed to know how hurt she was. It wasn't just this, it wasn't just that night when she was sixteen, it was everything. Her entire life.

"I deserved that," Judy kept eye contact with Quinn and if it had any sort of emotional effect on her she didn't show it.

Quinn still wasn't finished tearing into her mother and as her thoughts boiled inside of her, her fists balled up at her sides and a frustrated growl left her throat.

"How dare you! How dare you use something like this for your own personal gain! Even worse, you extended your selfish grasp to someone that should have nothing to do with this!" another growl escaped, "And here I was fighting every terrified nerve in my body telling you this only to find out that you already knew."

"And what should I have done, Quinn?" Judy took half a step forward and kept her tone low and stern, "Remind me how you felt when your imbecile boyfriend let your parents know that you were pregnant."

Just the mere thought of it ignited an anger so much stronger than the one she felt towards her mother at the moment that all she could do was mumble "that fuck," under breath.

"It wasn't his information to tell. He ripped the rug right out from under your feet. I didn't want to do that to you Quinn," Judy's eyes softened again and she took another half step forward.

Quinn resisted the urge to step back, "It's not the same thing."

"No, but it still wouldn't have been fair for you!" Judy looked at Quinn with the same soft eyes, "You can't tell me you wouldn't be angry if when you came home I just said to you 'Oh by the way, honey, I know you're gay and that you and Santana aren't really roommates. I still love you!'"

Even though that would have been easier, "You're right, I would have been mad."

Her mother was right, this was Quinn's information to tell. No one likes it when their moment is stolen from them. Truth be told, she probably would have been angry no matter what.

She was finally understanding her mother's dilemma and she suddenly felt the awful pang of guilt over all of the things she'd just said to her, "Mom, I'm so sorry..."

"No!" Judy stepped forward and grasped Quinn's shoulder, "Don't you dare be sorry. You felt that way because I gave you reason to. I deserved every word. You were absolutely right, I shouldn't have gotten Santana involved. I should have just waited for you to tell me. Quinn, I love you and I promise you that I never ever want you to feel hurt, especially at my hand."

"I..." it got stuck in a throat full of tears that she was sure she'd run out of. She reached out and wrapped her arms around her mother for the second time that night and said, "I love you, too, Mom."

"Quinn."

"And I'm not gay," she felt it necessary to clarify, especially if this was her coming out soiree.

"Huh?" Judy let her go and stepped back so Quinn could see her confusion.

"I'm bisexual. I'm still attracted to guys. I don't want one of course," she rolled her eyes thinking about how unnecessary it _should_ be to say this, "because I love Santana and she's the _only_ person I want."

"Quinn, I'm aware that the words bisexual and promiscuous are not synonymous," Judy crossed her arms and shifted her weight to one of her legs.

"Well, some people aren't," Quinn said with the tiniest tinge of sadness and a small shrug.

"Well, some people are ignorant," Judy shrugged back.

"You are absolutely right," Quinn agreed with a half-hearted half smile.

"Like your father, which is why I will not breathe a word of this to him until _you_ have," Judy made sure that she was perfectly clear and Quinn nodded.

"Not until after he's paid for my last semester," Quinn said not caring about what it sounded like.

"In that case you should probably keep it to yourself for as long as he's willing to pay for that apartment... or should I say, as long as he's unknowingly paying you $1500 a month. I say milk that for all it's worth," Judy said letting all the disdain she had for her ex-husband known.

"Uh... how did you know that?" Quinn wasn't really mad about this one, but she was curious as to how she'd gotten this bit of information.

"Brittany's mother," Judy said, "she was just saying how wonderful it was that you and Santana were letting her stay in the apartment until she found her own place."

Brittany. Did she know that her mother knew, too? Is that why she was hounding her about it earlier? How would she have known?

Santana.

"She didn't mention anything about you and Santana being together or anything, but of course my curious mind went wandering," Judy was starting to sound a little gossipy and Quinn wasn't sure she was ready for this level of comfortableness, but before she could stop her, her mother continued, "On what planet is living with your significant other _and_ their ex normal?"

"Manhattan?" Quinn shrugged.

"I mean, I know it's really none of my business-"

"Mom, don't you think we've talked about enough for one night?" Quinn was far too exhausted to get into the living situation that wasn't really a "situation" anymore.

"Of course," Judy nodded.

"I'm really tired," Quinn rubbed at her eye for good measure, "and um... I think I'm gonna stay at Brittany's tonight."

She wasn't exactly sure she wanted to talk to Brittany, but she was definitely sure she didn't want to talk to Santana. Not now at least.

"Okay, honey," Judy smiled and ducked her head down a little as she stepped towards the door.

"Night, Mom," Quinn said turning as Judy walked.

"Good night, honey," Judy stopped at the door and turned, "Thank you for telling me."

"Thanks for still loving me," she wasn't sure what made her say it or even think it for that matter, but it was out there.

"Always," Judy smiled and Quinn saw a tear slip from her eye and fall down her cheek. She sniffled a little and then said, "text me when you get to Brittany's?"

"Okay," Quinn laughed a little at how "mom" that was.

"Okay," Judy nodded, hesitated and then walked to her room.

Quinn waited until she heard her mother's door shut before she turned towards her desk and looked straight at the green light over her screen.

...}{...

Same Night, Springfield, Massachusetts  
Celebrating

Santana knew that Quinn's mother was going to tell Quinn that she was happy for her. She knew that the outcome of Quinn telling her that they were together was going to be okay.

She _knew_ it.

So when Judy got up and smiled so did Santana because it was happening! Quinn was out and she could ask her to marry her!

She picked up her phone and started to text Rachel as she danced around in front of her lap top. She kept listening but her dancing and texting were taking more of her attention.

"She didn't do all those things for your father and me, she did that for you. She was probably afraid she could lose you if we found out."

'Bet your ass I was afraid...' Santana kept dancing and typing out how excited she was to Rachel so she could flip out about it when she was done with her show.

"And she told me."

Santana's phone was no longer in her hands. She actually wasn't sure where it was. Her victory dance was over and somehow her butt found the chair.

"I'm sorry, what?"

A bus. Santana felt like she had been run over by a bus.

Probably because Judy Fabray just threw her under one.

"Fuck!" Santana started frantically looking around her for her phone, "Where the fuck is it?!"

Someone. She needed to tell someone what was happening so that when they got back to New York someone would protect her when Quinn was trying to KILL HER!

"And what? Did you make Santana promise not to say anything? And of course she agreed to it because no matter what my feelings are towards you, she's a good person..." okay, so maybe she wasn't going to kill her, "...and didn't want to piss off the woman that _could_ be her mother-in-law. That is fucked up."

'Oh god! Did I miss something? Did Judy tell her _that_ too?'

She couldn't call Rachel because she was still onstage. She couldn't call Berto because he was probably "performing," too.

Brittany.

As fast as her thumbs could tap she went into her contacts, picked Brittany's name and tapped the FaceTime button.

"Come on, come on!"

"You know, I'm really glad I could assist in making you finally feel like you're a good mother."

"Oh my god! Brittany! Answer!"

"Uh... hi San."

"I don't know what you said to Quinn, but it worked and she came out to her mother and then her mother told her that she already knew and that I was the one that confirmed it and now Quinn is flipping a complete and utter shit about it... hold on, you look a little... you know what, never mind, you aren't having sex and I'm sure by now just talking to her makes you want it," Santana said it all in one breath and a single sentence.

"Pretty much," Brittany smiled awkwardly.

"I'm sorry that I interrupted-"

"I finished-"

"Too much!"

"Sorry."

"Just look!" Santana turned her phone around so that Brittany could see what she was seeing.

"And what should I have done, Quinn? Remind me how you felt when your imbecile boyfriend let your parents know that you were pregnant."

"Oh my god," Santana's phone gasped.

"That fuck."

"Hell yeah, Finn was a fuck!" Santana agreed with her girlfriend.

"It wasn't his information to tell. He ripped the rug right out from under your feet. I didn't want to do that to you Quinn.

"It's not the same thing."

"No, but it still wouldn't have been fair for you! You can't tell me you wouldn't be angry if when you came home I just said to you 'Oh by the way, honey, I know you're gay and that you and Santana aren't really roommates. I still love you!'"

"Quinn would have been rip shit," Brittany agreed with Judy.

Santana turned the phone back so that she could see Brittany, "Quinn was going to get mad no matter what." She knew that, but did Quinn?

"Mom, I'm so sorry-"

"Sounds like she figured that out herself," Brittany quirked up her eyebrow, "Hey, how are you able to watch this? I feel like Quinn's mom would be aware that you were in the room with them."

"Quinn and I were FaceTiming with our lap tops before and she just had this epiphany. She must have moved the window off the screen because if you minimize it, the camera shuts off," Santana shrugged then looked up at the screen, "They're hugging!"

She turned her phone back so that Brittany could see.

"And I'm not gay..."

"Oh come on! Don't confuse the poor woman!" Brittany shouted through her screen to another one.

"Huh?"

"Judy is officially confused," Santana turned the phone back to herself for a moment then back to the screen so Brittany could see.

"I'm bisexual. I'm still attracted to guys."

"Gross."

"Shut up."

"I don't want one of course because I love Santana and she's the _only_ person I want."

"Quinn, I'm aware that the words bisexual and promiscuous are not synonymous."

"Ahh! Look at the way she's standing!" Santana couldn't help but laugh at the way that Judy had stepped back, popped out her hip and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Ha! She's like, 'Girl, I am not dumb. Mhm,'" through her laughter, Santana heard a snap through the phone's speaker and when she turned it back all she could see was ceiling. Brittany must have dropped it when she started cracking up.

"You realize we're watching this like it's a sitcom, right?" Santana suddenly felt guilty laughing and then for calling Brittany to witness it with her in the first place.

"Why are you still watching it? Everything is fine now," Brittany had picked her phone back up but was still a little giggly.

"Because the first time I thought everything was fine it wasn't and Quinn asked me to be here for 'invisible moral support,' I can't go," Santana shook her head and shrugged a little.

"On what planet is living with your significant other _and_ their ex normal?"

"What the-?"

"What do I have to do with this?"

"Manhattan?"

"Great answer, Q," Santana rolled her eyes, "change the subject!"

"Seriously!"

"I mean, I know it's really none of my business-"

"Damn right!" Santana was still talking to her screen as if she were watching a movie.

"Mom, don't you think we've talked about enough for one night?"

"Good one," Brittany was doing the same as Santana.

"Of course."

"I'm really tired and um... I think I'm gonna stay at Brittany's tonight."

"Oh yeah, I invited her to come back over after she was done with dinner and talking to you," Brittany said as if she'd forgotten, "I thought she wasn't going to come!"

"Quinn told me that Jessie is giving tude like the best of them, the best of them being me of course," Santana laughed and placed her hand on her chest.

"Uh, it's awful," Brittany scoffed, "but you know how awesome my parents are at handling it."

"Oh my god! I feel like your dad is hilarious!"

"Quinn and I were dead this afternoon," Brittany laughed and then continued laughing probably remembering what had happened.

Santana looked up from the phone for a moment and noticed that Judy was gone, "Hey, Judy's go- Britt I gotta go."

"What's the matt-" Santana turned the phone around to show Brittany a _very_ pissed off Quinn staring into the camera, "oh."

"Bye, Britt," Santana said and gulped. This did _not_ look good.

"It's gonna be okay," Brittany tried to console her.

Quinn was walking to the computer. Brittany needed to be gone, "I have to go now!"

"Bye!" Brittany got out just before Santana pressed end.

Santana watched Quinn put the ear buds into her ears and heard clicking come from her track pad.

She didn't understand. Why was Quinn so angry? Wasn't she just screaming at her mother for using her not even twenty minutes earlier?

"Q?" Santana said quietly when she was sure that Quinn could see her again.

"I don't want to talk to you," Quinn said quietly, "I love you and I'm not mad at you, but I don't want to talk to you."

"Okay...?"

Now she _really_ didn't understand.

"I have to go. I'm sleeping at Brittany's and it's already really late," Quinn said without even a hint of a smile.

"Okay," she bit down on her bottom lip as she felt a lump of tears appear in her throat. She swallowed it down the best she could and asked, "Text me when you get there?"

"Fine."

"Do you think you'll wanna talk tomorrow?" Santana fought through the pressure building in her throat.

"I don't know. Call me when you get to the apartment and we'll see," Quinn suggested flatly.

"Okay," the tears were getting really difficult to hold back by now.

"I have to go, Santana," Quinn sounded annoyed.

"I love you," Santana choked out and somehow managed to keep her tears in for a few more seconds.

Quinn took a breath and then said "I love you, too."

She sniffled, blinked and then one tiny drop of water escaped from her eyes.

Black.

Santana let out one fast exhale and then the dam that had been holding everything back let it all come surging out.

* * *

**A/N: Okay, you can all stop hating me now. I really hope that I did this justice. I'm thinking things might have gone a little different than some of you might have thought. This is one of those chapters that makes me nervous so of course I'm pretty anxious to hear what all thought. Have a great night!**

**Oh! For those of you who don't know, I'm actually 5 chapters ahead of you all. The next one I'm writing is the last one. It will definitely be done before I start my new, beyond full time job on 10/15.**


	31. Here

December 2015, Lima, Ohio  
So Many Issues, So Little Time

To say that Brittany was freaking out, was probably an understatement. Quinn was way too smart not to have realized that the intentions behind their conversation from the afternoon were more than just trying to help Quinn. Now that she knew Santana was involved, the connection to Brittany was inevitable.

In the unknown amount of minutes that she had until Quinn arrived, all she could think of to do was call the one person besides her parents that always tells her like it is no matter what.

Dez.

As the line rang, Brittany was fully prepared to completely spazz out as soon as Dez answered.

"Hi, beautiful," Dez said sweetly when she answered.

Brittany forgot why she was even calling and simply sighed, "Hi."

"To what do I owe this pleasantly unexpected phone call? I thought you and Quinn were getting your homie slumber party on tonight?"

'Oh yeah, Quinn...'

"She did it!" Brittany spit out without any preface whatsoever.

"She did what?"

"Oh, right," Brittany shook her head and rolled her eyes at herself, "She came out to her mom!"

"Really?" Dez sounded excited, probably because she may or may not have also already known that Judy already knew... "How'd it go?"

"Good... and then not so good... and then good..." Brittany hummed a little and then said, "And then I don't think it was good..."

"Okay...?" this was clearly one of those moments when Dez needed a little more information.

"I don't think I have time to tell you _every_thing, but just listen?"

"I will always listen to you, Brittany," she could hear the sweet, caring smile in Dez's voice. It was the smile that always made her heart melt and her stomach swell.

"You are so amazing," Brittany sighed and once again forgot what she was talking about.

"I wish you could feel how warm you just made my cheeks."

Brittany could picture it. She just envisioned Dez sitting somewhere with the phone to her ear, hiding her adorably pink cheeks and sucking her bottom lip in between her teeth. That's what she did whenever she blushed. Brittany had memorized her every action, but that didn't stop her from saying, "I wish I could see cute you look right now."

She heard Dez giggle a little and then clear her throat, "How much longer until Quinn gets there?"

"Oh god!" Brittany started to panic.

"Tell me as much as you can."

Brittany took a deep breath and then unleashed it, "Quinn's mom told her that she already knew and that Santana confirmed it for her. Quinn got all pissed and defended Santana but I think she's mad at her anyways. Things with Quinn and Judy are good but the last thing I saw was Quinn looking at the camera super pissed off and that's why I don't think things are good. Phew."

"Wait, you saw?" Dez was hung up on the wrong thing.

"I don't have time to get into that right now!"

"Okay-"

"And if she's mad at Santana then she has to be at least a little mad at me! And she's coming here!" Brittany finally got to the reason she had called Dez in the first place.

"Britt, if she was mad at you, why would she be coming over your house? Especially if she could stay at her house where things are good with her mom?" Dez thought she was so logical.

"Uh, I don't know! Quinn does weird shit sometimes! One time she dyed her hair pink, started smoking and stopped showering! And pierced her nose... I think... it might have been fake," Brittany couldn't remember.

"How old was she when did that?" Brittany could hear the "oh please" look in Dez's voice.

"Seventeen..."

"Britt, when I was seventeen, I wore white-out contacts and had my septum and my lip pierced. All teenagers do weird shit," Dez laughed a little.

"That's what that little dot is near the corner of you lip?" Brittany always wondered but never really got around to asking... mostly because every time she thought about it she wound up just kissing her. And now that was all Brittany could think about and how hot that lip piercing must have been.

"Yeah. I had to take it out when I started at Alvin Ailey," Brittany heard her suck her teeth, "Sucks. It was hot."

"There wouldn't happen to be pictures on Facebook...?" Brittany asked shamelessly.

"I think you're going to be fine with Quinn," Dez avoided answering and Brittany imagined that she quirked up her eyebrow at the end.

"Okay."

"Just... don't lie to her, okay?"

"What do you mean?" Why would Dez think that she would lie to Quinn? What would she lie about?

"She's probably just really confused about what to think and the last thing she needs is more lies. So if she asks you if Santana asked you to talk to her about coming out, tell her the truth... all of it," Dez's serious, 'I'm telling you how it is,' voice was coming through the phone.

But, "I can't tell her _every_thing," and Dez knew that.

"Okay, you're right, not everything. But as much as you can. Answer her questions if she has any..."

She heard a car door and then her phone vibrated on her ear.

**Here!**

"I have to go..."

"Just let her talk and you'll be fine," Dez assured Brittany as she slowly walked down the stairs.

"I just don't have the right word that describes how great you are," Brittany said just as she got to the front door.

She could hear Dez's breathy giggles on the other end.

"Perhaps I'll just have to show you when we can be in the same room," she knew it might have been a little too much, but then again, if Dez interpreted it to be _really_ sexual, that was on her. Besides, that was pay back for something Dez had said in their earlier phone call.

The gulp that she could clearly hear on the other end let Brittany knew exactly what Dez was thinking.

And now she was thinking it.

'Way to go.'

Brittany laughed it off a little and began, "I l- talk to you tomorrow?"

Every last milliliter of blood started pumping through her body at lightening speed. Where did that come from? One second she went from lusty thoughts to nearly telling Dez something she was sure she wasn't ready to tell her. Even if she was she certainly didn't want to tell her over the phone. That was something you told someone in person so that really great things could happen afterwards... or really awful things... what if Dez didn't...

"Yeah, tomorrow..."

Hopefully Dez hadn't heard that Brittany had turned the beginning of the phrase into something completely different.

"Bye, Dez."

"Bye."

With no time to calm herself down, Brittany's pulse was still racing and her face was still pale when she swung the door open and met the red, puffy eyes of another blonde.

...{}...

Same Night, Springfield, Massachusetts  
Blind

Somehow, Santana had made it from the desk to the bed. She was curled up on her side, staring at her phone. It was a blurry block of white and black in her hand that wasn't lighting up with Quinn's text. Her head was throbbing but she didn't want to leave the guest room for fear of her aunts wandering around all willy nilly in their own home.

Little did she know that her door was open (and had been the entire time) so anyone passing by could have easily heard her sniffling away.

Like Vicky, "Santana?"

"I'm fine," she blatantly lied to her aunt.

"Mmm... you've been crying for at least ten minutes, I don't think that constitutes as fine," Vicky walked into the room and sat down on the bed.

Santana continued to stare at her phone.

"Does this have anything to do with whatever it was you were watching earlier?"

"You were listening?" Santana shot up, allowing her swollen eyes and tear streaked cheeks to be seen.

"The door was open and your volume was loud- explain to me why you were watching Quinn and who I'm assuming is her mother?" Vicky asked in a way that was only slightly demanding.

"She asked me to," Santana shrugged and directed her gaze back to her phone. She pressed the circle at the bottom and her face lit up when she saw the green icon and a Q next to it.

**Here.**

She couldn't help it. She had to text her back.

_**I love you!**_

"What happened?" Vicky asked in a much more concerned tone than the one she was sporting previously.

Santana was actually really glad that it was Vicky that had come in to check in on her and not Rosa. Not that she didn't like talking to Rosa, that wasn't the case at all, Vicky just gave much better advice. At the moment, Santana was positive she needed _a lot_ of advice.

"Do you want the short or the long version?"

"Which one is going to give me the whole picture?"

Of course she wanted the long one. The long one meant going all the way back to the beginning of November.

"It's really long..." Santana warned before she started, hoping that Vicky would change her mind.

"I have as long as you do," Vicky said moving up on the bed so that she was sitting up against the headboard next to Santana.

'Here it goes,' Santana thought to herself as she took deep breath and then let it all spill out.

Vicky listened quietly and nodded every once in a while as Santana moved through all of the events in succession. She started with Quinn's parents' visit, moved to her promise to Judy, to Brittany's arrival, to how she could never really figure how she _really_ felt about her being around, to trying the clean slate, then the emergence of Dez that led to her revelation that she'd found her someone and Brittany deserved hers. She moved onto how she and Quinn _finally_ talked about wanting a future together and in the same day, she and Brittany kicked out the clean slate and talked about the one thing they'd been dancing around. Then she started talking about the ring and things started getting difficult. Of course Vicky noticed it, she did this for a living. She didn't say anything, though, she just let Santana continue the story the way she wanted to.

She told her that she roped Brittany in.

"I know it was last ditch effort, but I was desperate. She must have talked to her today and I don't know what she said, but Quinn was so out of it when we were talking. I asked her what was wrong and then she just asked me about coming out to my parents. I knew she had to be thinking about telling her mom, but I didn't want to push it. I told her that I felt free afterwards and that I only regretted not doing it sooner. Then she told me not to go anywhere and to be her 'invisible moral support.'"

"Hmm..." Vicky hummed but said nothing else allowing Santana to continue.

"Then she called her mother into her room and told her. She was so brave and then Judy was so awesome and then she wasn't! She just had to tell Quinn about our conversation. Then Quinn got super pissed at Judy for getting me involved and for letting her be so scared to come out. And then Judy brought up how Finn went and told her and Russell about Quinn being pregnant and how bull shit that was and how Judy didn't want to do that to Quinn. Then Quinn felt all guilty and then they hugged and Quinn told her she was bisexual and that she didn't want to talk about Brittany living with us and that she was staying at Britt's tonight and then when her mother was gone she turned around and glared at the camera. AT ME! Then she told me she didn't want to talk to me. She said that she wasn't mad and that she loved me, but she didn't want to talk to me. And that's where things are now," Santana finally took a full breath and as she exhaled, the tears she'd kept at bay that entire time found their way to the forefront.

"Wow," Vicky whispered as she pulled the silently weeping Santana into her, "Which of the million things do you want to talk about?"

"I don't want to talk for a while," Santana choked out into Vicky's shoulder.

"Want me to just say all things that I'm thinking?" Santana could feel Vicky looking at her but she kept her head down and nodded onto her shoulder.

"First of all, Quinn's mother _shouldn't_ have gotten you involved and how dare she use _your_ moment with Quinn to get to her daughter. That is an absurd abuse of power no matter what or how good her intentions were. Unfortunately, what's done is done and it's no longer here nor there.

"We will return to Quinn's pregnancy at some point, not tonight because it isn't really relevant, but some time, preferably with Quinn," Vicky got a little stern as if she felt like there was some sort need for concern.

"She doesn't need a shrink. She's fine," Santana looked up briefly, still crying.

"Say that to me again in five years," Vicky said with this indiscernible look on her face.

Santana merely rolled her eyes and put her cheek back down on Vicky's shoulder.

"Okay," by the way Vicky said it, Santana knew they were getting to the tough part, "You knew she was going to figure it all out eventually, right?"

Santana nodded.

"Well that's good. I'm guessing you weren't prepared for the shit to hit the fan this quickly, though?"

Santana shook her head and buried her face a little deeper into her aunt's shoulder.

She felt Vicky take a deep breath and then say, "I don't think that Quinn knows _what_ to say to you."

This was interesting. It was also a lot better than Quinn not wanting to talk to her.

"I'm willing to bet that she's very confused. She's a smart girl so I'm sure she figured out that you said something to Brittany. Now she's probably wondering why. I'm sure she's mad that you didn't tell her, but torn because you went to such great lengths to impress her mother. What Quinn needs is time to process things," Vicky said as she rubbed Santana's arm.

Unfortunately, none of that calmed Santana down, "But what if after that time she processes things she thinks that what I did-"

Vicky put her hand over her niece's ridiculous mouth, "I'm not going to let you finish that absurdity because I bet that _you_ and how much that girl loves you were really what inspired her to come out."

"Do you treat your patients like this?" Santana asked as soon as her mouth was released from underneath Vicky's hand.

"Uh uh," Vicky shook her head, "but I don't love any of my patients."

"Thank you," Santana sighed and then yawned.

"Anytime, sweetheart," Vicky squeezed Santana's shoulder and kissed the top of her head, "Why don't you go to sleep. I'll wake you up in the morning so you'll have time to pack."

"Okay," Santana answered and automatically shifted off of Vicky and into the covers on the bed.

"Everything is going to be just fine," Vicky got up and kissed Santana's forehead.

"Okay," Santana replied sleepily as the exhaustion from all of her earlier crying set in.

"Good night, Santana."

"Night, Vicky. I love you," Santana muttered as her leadened eyelids closed.

"I love you, too, honey."

...}{...

Still the Same Night, Lima, Ohio  
A Home Away

Quinn walked into the Pierce home and walked straight upstairs to Brittany's room. She dropped her messenger bag that she'd filled with all of the clothes she'd need for sleeping and waking up, on the floor next to doorway and started pacing the room. She was only vaguely aware of Brittany's presence. She knew she was there, it was her house, but she wasn't concerned with where Brittany was located. Quinn was concerned with where she wanted to start.

There were two choices: 1) talk about everything and 2) talk about nothing. One was much easier than the other, but terribly useless.

In order to talk about everything, she had to get the confrontation out of the way.

Quinn stopped pacing and looked directly at Brittany who was standing in the doorway, "You knew."

"Yes."

"And Santana told you."

"Yes."

"Did she ask you to talk to me about it?"

"Yes," Brittany answered the same way as every other time, but now there was slight look of panic on her face, "Please don't ask me why. I can't tell you that."

Quinn squinted her eye and stopped herself from asking why.

"Are you mad at her?" Brittany looked like she was going to cry, as if all of this was her fault. Of course Quinn was just assuming that, but knowing Brittany, it was probably a good assumption.

"A little," Quinn answered, "Because she didn't tell me. But then I'm not for the same reason."

"Sounds confusing," Brittany smiled a little and stepped into her room.

"Not as confusing as everything with my mom," Quinn plopped down on the bed and sprawled out all the way onto her back, "I am _so_ mad that she got Santana involved like that. So, so angry. But I get it. She needed to be sure. What better way to get confirmation than from 'the roommate?' I just... ugh! I need to talk about something else!" She reached her arms up and then bent them, bringing her fingers to rub her puffy eyes.

"Umm... okay... uhh... OH! The mash-up Santana made for Jackson..." Quinn started shaking her head, "Okay not that."

"Anything Brittany! Anything that isn't Santana or Judy related," Quinn sighed as she pulled her fingers from her eyes and then stared up at the glittery ceiling above her.

She heard Brittany breathe out a laugh and then sigh, "I think I'm in love with Dez."

Quinn's eyes went wide and she shot up into a sitting position, "What?"

Brittany just bit down on her lip and tried to smile at the same time.

"Seriously, Britt?" Quinn tried again.

"Well, as serious as thinking it is," Brittany shrugged nervously and then sat down in her desk chair.

"Okay," Quinn rolled her eyes a little, "tell me why you _think_ you're in love with her." Quinn felt like she was in high school again as she sat on the edge of Brittany's bed and waited for her to list all of her reasons. It wasn't a bad feeling. It was a recollection of times that were fun.

Brittany sighed like fools in love do and began, "Everything she does is the most adorable thing I have ever seen in my life. She _always_ knows the right thing to say and she's never afraid to tell me the truth, no matter how much I probably don't want to hear it. She never makes me feel like I'm stupid even when I have to ask what something means. Dancing with her is like, this amazing conversation and just _feels_ good. And she gives me that feeling in my stomach and my chest not just when we kiss, but when I see her or think about her. I have it right now," she put her hand to her stomach and clutched tightly to her shirt, "And she's _so_ sexy. We haven't even had sex and she's... I'm gonna explode when we do. I know it."

Quinn laughed a little. She was so happy for her friend and she couldn't resist saying, "Britt, it sounds like you're _definitely_ in love."

"Yeah..." Brittany exhaled and then smiled.

"Make sure you tell her all that stuff. Girls love to hear _why_ you love them," Quinn said in a joking tone, but was completely serious.

"Quinn?"

She yawned and then responded, "Yeah, Britt?"

Catching the yawning contagion, Brittany said through it, "I was actually going to say that I'm really tired."

"You don't have to tell me twice," Quinn got up and started changing into her pajamas.

"I'm glad that you still feel comfortable enough to just strip in front of me," Brittany laughed.

"Oh please," Quinn turned back after she'd yanked her t-shirt over her head, "We are not each other's type."

"Nope," Brittany laughed, "Not at all."

Quinn laughed along as she pulled her phone out of her jeans pocket. She checked to see if she had gotten anything and there was only one notification:

S

iMessage

She slid the green message icon over to reveal the message:

**I love you!**

And there was that feeling Brittany was just blabbing about.

It never got old.

_**I love you, too.**_

She put her phone down on Brittany's desk then changed into the blue striped pajama pants and gray tank top she'd packed.

"Um... am I gonna wake up with your face in my back?" Brittany asked as she was getting into her bed.

"Uhh...?" Quinn turned around with a quirked up eyebrow and shuffled slowly towards the side of the bed that Brittany wasn't on.

"Like whenever we'd have sleepovers, I'd be over here, Santana would be in the middle with her arm around me and then you'd be on that side with your face in Santana's back and your leg on top of hers. I'm not saying I'd be mad if you did that," Brittany shrugged, "I'm just wondering if you want to just start the platonic cuddles at the beginning of the night instead of in the middle when you're all unawares."

"How did you...?" Quinn started to ask, but realized it was a dumb question because Brittany just always knew things... and Santana had always told her everything, "Did you just say 'unawares?'"

"Yeah," Brittany's cheeks turned a little pink, "it's one of the weird words that Dez uses sometimes like 'alas' and 'whilst.' I like that one," she giggled a little bit and scooted down into the covers.

Quinn laughed as she crawled under the covers, "You guys are cute. Gross cute."

"Thanks," Brittany exhaled in a laugh.

Suddenly feeling an inexplicable, overwhelming need for some sort of physical contact, Quinn turned onto her side and moved over, putting her head on Brittany's shoulder, "I guess now is okay."

"Gladly," Brittany squeezed Quinn's shoulder and kissed the top of her head, "Besties are allowed to knowingly cuddle. Especially when comforting is involved."

"Thanks, B," Quinn sighed and nuzzled her face into Brittany a little to rub her sleepy eyes.

"Anytime, Q," Brittany yawned.

"And thanks for distracting me with your conflict," Quinn laughed and poked Brittany in the ribs.

"Thanks for listening. Maybe I'll be more prepared next time when I almost let it slip out of my mouth," Quinn felt Brittany shake her head.

"Next time just tell her," Quinn propped herself up a little to convey her point a little stronger with eye contact, "If you're thinking it, it's right and you should just say it. Don't wait for some special moment because when you say it, the moment will be special all on its own."

"Okay," Brittany said quietly and nodded her head.

Quite satisfied with her advice, Quinn smiled and then put her head back down, ready to finally sleep away her exhausting day.

She felt Brittany take a deep breath and then suddenly, "Please don't be upset with Santana. Everything she did, she had to. I promised her I wouldn't tell you why so I'm not going to, just trust me and trust her. Please?" Brittany said everything quickly and in only one breath.

Quinn merely nodded into Brittany's shoulder in response. Brittany was always genuine and she never would have gotten involved if she didn't think it was for something good. There was really no other option than trusting her, but that meant that Santana was up to something. Not something bad, but something nonetheless and if it weren't for Quinn's complete exhaustion, the thought of it probably would have kept her up all night.

* * *

**A/N: I'm fighting my own anxiety and posting this before I've finished the last chapter... actually, all I have are notes. I wanted to get this out before I didn't have internet though, which I won't this weekend beyond the 3G my iPhone can get me. I'd say happy day after Glee Day, but I'm not happy. I'm happy that there was finally a good... a really great episode, but not happy about what went down. At all! I need better news so if you could all leave me with some, mostly pertaining to this here story. Thanks and mad love to everyone!**


	32. Good Intentions

December 2015, New York City  
Baggage Claim

Quinn didn't answer when Santana called. Brittany did. She told Santana that Quinn was fine and that she definitely wasn't angry. Confused, but not angry. She also assured her that Quinn still had no idea about New Year's.

Unless of course Judy spilled that, too and Quinn wasn't letting on.

What a pain in the ass.

By now, two days later, Santana was just pissed. She was pissed that Judy had backed her into the street and let her get hit by a bus, Regina George style. After all of that effort, Judy had no problem tactlessly informing Quinn.

Worst of all, she was afraid that all of that effort had actually cost her in the long run. No matter how much reassuring Vicky and Brittany had given her, she couldn't stop herself from worrying about the worst.

Today, Quinn and Brittany were coming back to New York. Their plane was landing at 4:30 and the plan was for Santana and Dez to meet them at baggage claim.

That wasn't the plan originally, but Brittany asked with an audible pout and for some reason, no matter what girl pouted at her Santana couldn't say no. It was a problem she fully acknowledged she needed to work on. So, needless to say, she was currently waiting in baggage claim with her best friend/ex-girlfriend's girlfriend.

Luckily, Santana liked Dez. The trip from Penn to JFK was a little awkward but that was mostly just because they didn't really know each other very well. Unfortunately, Santana was a little too busy in her own head to make this the day she got to know Dez.

It wasn't until they were waiting amongst the conveyor belts of baggage claim that they actually started talking and it was all due to Dez:

"Feel free to not answer, but... are you nervous?" she twisted her bottom lip a little making it clear that _she_ was a little nervous asking that.

"Of course she talked to you," Santana smiled lightly.

"She just needed someone to calm her down before Quinn showed up," Dez shrugged, but used a tone that was laced slightly with defense.

"Yeah. I am," Santana answered honestly, "Besides a couple texts, I haven't spoken to her in two days. That's the longest we've gone without speaking in over a year... and it fucking sucks." She realized that there was a stabilizing beam close enough to lean on so she did just that.

"That does suck," Dez agreed as she jammed her hands into her pockets and shrugged.

"Thanks for not saying 'I'm sorry,'" Santana shifted her body on the beam so that she could make eye contact. Because that's how conversations should happen. With eye contact.

"I know from experience that it doesn't help. It's really just a 'nice' way of saying 'that sucks,'" Dez shrugged again with her hands still jammed into her pockets. She looked back down to the floor and kicked the carpeting with her bright purple high tops.

"Those are some pretty badass kicks," Santana smiled and pointed at them with the toe of her own black Chucks.

"Thanks," Dez smiled and pulled her hands from her pockets, "I kind of have an unhealthy addiction to sneakers. It's the one thing in my life that my folks aren't supportive of."

Santana laughed and pushed herself off of the beam, "I can think a few things that would be worse to be addicted to."

"Oh I'm pretty sure that heroin or crack would be just as unhealthy," Dez said with the sarcasm that Brittany told Santana she'd love.

"I guess sneakers get pretty expensive," Santana shrugged and laughed.

"I would have a much heftier bank account if I didn't suffer from this," Dez said through a laugh and nodded.

"How many pairs do you have?" Santana was quite curious by now.

"Eeeehhh," Dez gritted her teeth and stretched her lips around, thinking about it, "Thirty...? No, thirty-two. I found a pair at home that I thought I'd lost like, three years ago and my Grampa bought me a pair."

"Oh my god!" Santana was not expecting a number that high, "Have you even worn them all?"

"The new ones I haven't worn yet, but the rest of them, yes. Some way more than others, but yeah, I've definitely worn them all at least once," Dez said with confidence and complete seriousness. Clearly this was a big deal.

"Wow."

"Yeah, unhealthy. I know," Dez made a funny 'awkward' face, laughed, then just so happened to look up and around, "Hey look, there they are."

Santana followed to where Dez was pointing and sure enough, there were Quinn and Brittany chatting and walking towards them.

She wasn't ready.

How absurd! She wasn't ready to be face-to-face with her own girlfriend that she was every single cliché, head-over-heals in love with.

As they got closer she kept thinking to herself over and over, 'Everything is going to be fine. Everything is going to be fine.'

If only her circulatory system and her adrenal gland would listen.

She lifted her arms and went to put her thumbs in her backpack's straps only to find air. First of all: what made her think she had her backpack on and second: why did she leave without her security blanket?

And then they were close enough that speaking should happen.

Brittany spoke first, "Hi," she looked at Santana and then to Dez, "hey."

Santana smiled and nodded while Dez said, "Hi," and did one of those flirty finger waves. Then she dropped her hand, turned to Quinn and said, "Hey, Quinn."

"Hi," Quinn said with the left side of her lips curled up.

"Dez and I will look for the bags," Brittany jumped in quickly and grabbed Dez's hand to drag her over to the correct belt, leaving Quinn and Santana with themselves.

Santana still didn't know what to do. She was still chanting 'Everything is going to be fine,' to herself but now there was an emergence of 'say I'm sorry' showing up every few rounds. Staring at a spot just in front of Quinn's feet, she took her own advice and started to say it, "I'm-"

Quinn's messenger bag hit her, then her hands, then her lips. Quinn's perfect, soft, fix everything that's bad lips were pressed to hers. The chaos of baggage claim slipped away leaving Santana with only the awareness of the person that was currently making her lungs falter. She reached her hands forward instinctually to pull Quinn closer, but they got caught on the bag. Without taking her lips away, she groaned into Quinn's lips and pushed the messenger bag away. Their hips crashed together and Santana's hands found the spot just above Quinn's butt that she loved to touch so much.

Reluctantly, they pulled apart when they discovered that breathing through their noses just wasn't enough and with their foreheads pressed together, Quinn whispered, "Please, please, don't say you're sorry."

"If that's what you want," Santana said with her eyes still closed and a continued lack of awareness of what was around her.

"What I want is: to go home, talk," Quinn kept whispering and moved her head so that her lips were mere millimeters from Santana's ear, "then do deliciously explicit things with you all night."

"Fuck," Santana exhaled heavily into Quinn's neck.

How could Quinn possibly ever think she wouldn't be a good writer when she came up with phrases like, 'deliciously explicit?' Santana suddenly had something new chanting in her head and a sensation between her hips telling her it was time to go. Now.

"How are they doing with the bags?" Quinn asked as she dragged her hands down Santana's arms and grabbed her hands from behind her back.

"They umm..." Santana looked over Quinn's shoulder to see that Brittany was hauling up the second bag. She looked back to Quinn and smirked, "They're done."

"Got the bags," Brittany called out as she and Dez approached.

Quinn let go of one of Santana's hands and turned to face their friends. Both Brittany and Dez were smiling as they walked closer to the once again happy couple.

"And we're going to take advantage of my lack of a roommate while we still can," Dez said as she pulled Quinn's bag up to her.

"So you kids can have the place to yourself," Brittany winked and nudged Santana's arm.

"Aww... I miss Señor Estaban," Santana frowned, "And Mama Pierce! And Munchkin!"

"Uh... that was random," Brittany looked at Santana like she was thoroughly insane.

Quinn laughed and answered for Santana who was currently to incapacitated with laughter to do it herself, "You have no idea that you just did exactly what your dad does?"

"What?" Brittany asked with pink cheeks. By now Dez had joined in on the laughter.

"Oh my god, Britt, your Dad does that 'I'm telling a corny joke' elbow nudge thing like, all the time," Santana composed herself just enough to inform her.

"Oh..." Brittany looked even more embarrassed and turned away with her bag to start walking to the train.

"Hey, Britt we weren't making fun of you," Quinn started after her.

"Yeah, we like your dad, remember?" Santana grabbed the handle to the bag Quinn happened to forget and went after all three of them.

"Yeah, well, now my girlfriend thinks I'm lame," Brittany said putting words into Dez's mouth.

"No I don't," Dez said through slightly choppy breath as she tried to keep up with Brittany, "I think it's endearing."

Brittany stopped walking and Dez crashed right into her back. Quinn and Santana were back far enough that could they stop in time. They both knew what was coming.

"I've heard that word a million times and I have no idea what it means," Brittany said quietly, but just loud enough that Quinn and Santana could hear it.

"Uh oh," Santana whispered.

"Uh uh, wait," Quinn whispered back and trained her ear the conversation that was several steps ahead of them spatially.

The corner of Dez's mouth curled up a little and then she looked shyly at the ground. After twisting her foot a little on the tile, she looked back up at Brittany and said softly, "It's something to love about you."

"Oh my god, she's perfect," Santana whispered. In one moment, Santana could see that Dez just _got_ Brittany. Almost anyone else would have probably told Brittany what it meant, but then teased her about it immediately. Dez didn't do that. She turned it into something disgustingly romantic and she sensed that she did that every time Brittany asked her what something meant. That and her concentrated bluntness made her exactly what Brittany needed.

Brittany's frustration quickly turned into something else. It looked like she didn't really know what to do. She just said "oh," and started walking again. Quinn knew exactly why Brittany had reacted that way and she started the chase once again.

"I missed something," Santana said to pretty much no one as she trailed behind with Quinn's bag.

"I'll tell you at home," Quinn looked back then continued her chase.

...}{...

The Apartment

After a week of her mother's boring cooking, Quinn was craving the amazing cuisine that her girlfriend spoiled her with on a daily basis. As she sat in the kitchen, she realized how much she missed watching her do the magic that she did in that room. She watched Santana as she concentrated hard on what she was concocting and if it wasn't for Quinn's growling stomach she'd be skipping the talking she'd promised and taking her right on the island... again.

It didn't help that Santana was moving her hips ever so slightly to a song in her head. Between that and the tongue sticking out of the corner of her lips, Quinn was having a hard time controlling herself.

She definitely wasn't controlling her facial expression. When Santana turned around to grab a new utensil, she caught Quinn in pretty much a full on drool. A smirk played on Santana's lips as she continued doing what she was doing.

'Perhaps this talk should start soon,' Quinn thought to herself as she felt that pleasant sensation between her legs taking a turn for the no longer pleasant.

"So, you aren't angry?" Santana asked quietly without looking away from the grill pan on the stove.

'As if she were psychic...' Quinn smiled at the thought of how well Santana knew her.

"Every action is fueled by good intentions," Quinn sighed as she propped her chin up on her palms.

"Yeah," Santana chuckled as she turned a little, "the road to hell is paved with them, too."

"While that may be true," Quinn dropped one of her hands from her chin and started drawing aimless patterns on the table top, "I don't think that's the case in this instance."

Santana turned around just enough so that Quinn could see the slight anxiety in her face. She needed that to go away. Quinn needed Santana to know that there was no need for that.

"What makes you think that?" Santana turned back to the stove.

"Because I know you," Quinn said tucking her foot underneath her on the stool making her just a bit closer to Santana.

Santana half turned again and kept the same anxious look, "Could you grab some dishes? This is almost done."

"Mhm," Quinn hummed and pushed out her stool. Instead of going to the cabinet though she rounded the island and went straight for the stove, pressing herself up against Santana's back and wrapping her arms around her waist. She kissed the back of her neck which was left bare by the messy bun that Quinn internally called Santana's Chef's Hat, then moved her chin to Santana's shoulder, "I missed you. So much."

"Why wouldn't you talk to me?" Santana asked with the hurt she didn't deserve to feel.

"Babe, I barely spoke to anyone for two days," Quinn tugged her arms tighter around Santana's waist.

"You spoke to Brittany," Santana turned her head a little and Quinn could still see the hurt.

"Only a little when I got to her house. Then I made her talk about herself. Listening to her talk about why she thinks she's in love with Dez was a nice distraction," Quinn breathed out a laugh and felt Santana's tension ease a little.

"So that's why she- wait, don't change the subject," Santana tensed back up and tried to squirm out of Quinn's arms, "Q, let me go. I have to get this off the stove or we won't have dinner."

"I'll get the plates," Quinn sighed and released Santana. It was reluctant but she did it nonetheless. She crossed over to the cabinet with the dishes, grabbed two and placed them on the counter next to the oven.

"Thank you," Santana said quietly and began to plate their dinner.

"I wasn't changing the subject," Quinn said in a sly tone as she rounded the island to return to her stool.

"Quinn!" Santana whipped around with her tendency to turn hurt into anger.

"Yes?" Quinn replied with a cute smile that usually worked to get Santana to relax a little.

Usually.

"Don't do that," Santana's lips became a thin line and her eyes narrowed down on Quinn.

"Don't do what?" Quinn tried once more, but immediately regretted it.

"That," Santana pointed a frustrated finger at Quinn, "that aloof and cute thing you do that makes me laugh and then forget my point. Not today, Q. I've been waiting almost three days! Stop dancing and talk. Please!"

"Okay," Quinn replied quietly and felt her eyes start blinking excessively.

"Okay," Santana huffed and turned around. She returned with both plates of dinner and carried them around the island. She placed one in front of Quinn and the other at the end of the island, adjacent to Quinn, where she dragged a stool over. Finally, she grabbed two sets of forks and knives and sat down, placing one next to Quinn's plate.

"Thank you," Quinn said through her dry mouth, "Want something to drink?"

Hesitantly she got up and took the few steps to the fridge. Once it was open Santana mumbled, "water, please."

Quinn grabbed two bottles and as she closed the door, she followed her impulse to once again say, "I'm not ang-"

"I know that you aren't angry!" Santana interrupted, "Ninety-nine percent of the time I can tell when you're angry or sad or so happy you don't know what to do with yourself and I can deal with those things. But Quinn, you hide broken. You've always hidden broken. You _need_ to tell me if something is broken. I can't fix something if I don't know what it is!"

"No," Quinn rushed back over to her stool. As soon as she was sitting her hand was squeezing Santana's thigh and her head was ducked down trying to get Santana to look at her, "nothing is broken. Baby, you don't have to fix anything! You didn't do anything wrong."

Santana looked up, her face distraught with tear streaks shining down her cheeks.

"It wasn't because of you that I wasn't speaking to you, it was me. I needed to figure things out on my own, without any influence," feeling her breath become heavy and a lump in her throat, Quinn pushed on, "the only person I'm upset with is me."

Santana sniffled and raised an inquisitive eyebrow. Quinn smiled and as she swept away her tear streaks with her thumbs said softly, "You are so beautiful. Everywhere. And I love you more than I've ever loved anyone or anything. I shouldn't be hiding you. It felt so good to tell my mother. It was terrifying and then frustrating and then confusing, but in the end you were absolutely right; it was so freeing."

"What about Russell?" Santana asked in a tiny voice.

"I'm not hiding," Quinn was adamant about that, "I'm not going to actively seek him out and tell him, but I'm not going to prevent him from finding out either. I don't need him in my life. Not anymore."

Santana nodded, poked at her chicken that was for sure cold then asked, "What about your mom? How are things with her?"

"Ah. Reason number two why Quinn is mad at Quinn," Quinn smiled and hoped that Santana would return the gesture. When she did, Quinn sighed internally, then continued, "I should have told her sooner. Much sooner."

Santana laughed a little bit, rolled her eyes and picked up a piece of pineapple from on top of her chicken.

"I'm serious," Quinn smiled, "No, really. Brittany said something that I should have considered a long time ago. My Mom is probably the only person that despises Russell more than I do. I made a huge mistake and she chose me over him. I should have taken that into consideration and not how she reacted initially. We're good. Actually, I think we're better than ever."

"Did you talk to her again before you left?" Santana asked slowly with that anxious look from before.

"Yeah, I did," Quinn said and rolled her lips between her teeth, unsure of where Santana's nerves were coming from, "We both apologized and we promised to talk more often. I think she wants to come for Thanksgiving next year."

"That's really great," Santana smiled and shifted on the stool, "Rosa and Vicky will be excited to have more 'adults' around."

"Are you okay with it?" Quinn asked hesitantly. Santana had every right to not be happy with Judy. First she put that huge burden on her and then she completely betrayed her confidence.

"Yeah," Santana sighed, "She's your Mom. That's why I agreed to keep my mouth shut in the first place."

"I know. I know that you did this for me. I know that you both did this for me. That's why I'm so mad at myself because if I'd just done this sooner-"

"Stop beating yourself up," Santana grabbed onto both of Quinn's thighs and turned her towards her, "You did it! I'm so proud of you. Your Mom is proud of you..."

"And nothing is broken..."

"And nothing is broken," Santana closed her eyes and sighed through a smile.

"And I'm starving," Quinn groaned and slumped forward a little.

Santana chuckled a little and leaned in to kiss her, "You should probably eat your cold dinner then."

Quinn looked at her plate, then looked at Santana with a hopeful pout.

"I'll fix it," Santana rolled her eyes and picked up both plates, "Oh and Q?"

"Yes, love?"

"I missed you, too."

* * *

**A/N: I'm back and I have internet access again! I'm also actively working on the last chapter. Research is brutal, that's all I'm gonna say. Have a wonderful day/night... whatever time of day it is wherever you are. Hope you enjoyed this one! Feel free to leave me some love... or not love... whatever you want... preferably love. Haha.**


	33. Be Right Back

December 2015, New York City  
The Other Apartment

Brittany wasn't talking very much. She couldn't think beyond what Dez had said to her at the airport. Even after a little pep talk from Quinn on the platform at Jamaica, she was still a little... lost. She wasn't upset about what Dez had said, she just didn't know what to do about it.

So now, here she was, with Dez in her apartment, eating Mexican food and trying so hard get out of her head.

"How are your tacos?" Dez asked poking Brittany's calf with her toe.

"Great," Brittany smiled with her mouth full.

"Hey," she bounced a little and shifted in her seat.

Of course she was being as adorable as ever and Brittany wanted so badly, to be giving her her full attention. She forced her brain to shut up the best she could and turned to face Dez. By doing so, she wound up interlocking their knees.

"Wanna go back to watching Parks and Recreation? We still have a couple seasons left," as Dez asked, her knees bounced up and down bewteen Brittany's making her laugh.

"Only if there'll cuddling involved," Brittany quirked up one of her eyebrows and leaned her elbow on the counter top.

"Duh," Dez rolled her eyes and turned her torso to dip another chip into the queso.

Brittany laughed and turned back to her dinner, her knees still interlocked with Dez's.

"I'm gonna change into something more comfy," Dez popped up off her stool and kissed Brittany's forehead.

"Okay," Brittany smiled, then looked down at her own jeans, then her duffle bag at the door, "maybe I will, too."

"Perfect," Dez smiled back and left Brittany with too brief a kiss on her lips, "I'll be right back."

While Dez changed in her room with the door open, Brittany avoided looking into her room by wrapping up their dinners and then walking straight to her duffle to find some sweatpants. As soon as she found them she went into the bathroom to change into them... with the door closed. When she came back out, Dez was already sitting on the couch across from the TV waiting for her with the next episode queued up.

She laughed to herself as she approached the couch and when she sat down on the end next to the arm, Dez instantly scooted over, putting her head on Brittany's shoulder and her arm across her hips. Brittany's arm draped down Dez's back with her fingertips landing on a sliver of revealed skin between her shirt and the waistband of her sweatpants.

"Is that the last one we watched?" Brittany asked.

"I think so," Dez looked up from Brittany's shoulder and gave her a little smirk. She then pushed off of Brittany to grab the remote off of the table. When she returned, a little more skin became bare to Brittany's fingertips. Brittany couldn't resist letting her fingers glide over the soft skin underneath them.

"That tickles," Dez giggled lightly into Brittany's chest and tightened her arm around her hips.

Nervously, Brittany stopped and whispered, "Sorry."

"No," Dez said with light urgency, "I like it."

"Oh," Brittany exhaled and slowly began moving her fingers across Dez's skin again.

"Mmm..." Dez hummed and snuggled even closer into Brittany. Her fingers started dancing across Brittany's hip bone and eventually, with enough dancing, found their way onto her bare skin and lightly massaged her hip bone.

They did this every single time. Little touches that should barely have an effect. At least, with other people they'd had little effect. The touches were torturous but they subjected themselves to it every time they were together. Eventually, one of them would break in with a question or a comment. The touching wouldn't stop, but there would be something else to divide their attention because as funny as the TV show, it wasn't enough.

Dez shivered a little and then looked up at Brittany, "I'm glad that Quinn and Santana are okay."

"Me too," Brittany said hoping that her voice sounded normal through her abnormal breathing, "_That_ would have been a really awkward living situation."

"You could have stayed here," Dez said quietly and then put her cheek back down on Brittany's chest.

Brittany simply nibbled on her lip and tilted her cheek onto Dez's soft, curly hair. She realized that her fingers had inched a little higher, lifting Dez's t-shirt up in the process. Even worse, Dez's fingers were getting bolder, getting her thumb involved and moving it ever so slightly away from her hip towards restricted territory.

"And Quinn and her Mom, they're good, too?" Dez asked through extra breathy tone.

"Uh huh, they talked right before Quinn and I left," Brittany gulped and then curled both of her lips between her teeth.

"What about her dad? Is she ever going to tell him?"

'Thank you for your over curiosity.'

"No. She doesn't care if he finds out, but she isn't going to tell him," Brittany answered and tried to steady her breathing.

"Wait, really?" Dez stopped moving her fingers and pushed her palm into Brittany's hip to lift her self up a little.

"Quinn's Dad is an asshole," Brittany just let it rip out of her mouth and she knew her facial expression let Dez know that she wasn't lying at all.

"Wow, if _you_ think that, he must be," Dez said with her face full of shock and her palm still digging into Brittany's hip.

"He is."

"Oh," Dez sighed and put her head back down. It popped back up with the same pressure being put on Brittany's hip, "And what about- nevermind."

Dez put her head back down once again.

"What about what?" Brittany needed the conversation to continue to distract her from the inappropriate thoughts in her head.

"Santana's parents? How come... does she...?"

"They don't even know she lives in New York," Brittany said sadly, "They... well, mostly her father, kicked her out when she came out to them our senior year. She lived with me and my family for the rest of the year and with her aunt, Rosa, came up with this elaborate plan where she led everyone to believe that she was going to UCLA."

"Wow," Dez whispered.

"Yeah, I know. Another asshole dad," old memories were starting to get Brittany a little agitated.

"Well, I'm glad she had someone like you to be there for her... even if she was your girlfriend at the time," Dez said through a little eye squint and then kissed Brittany's chin.

"Hmm... your eyes are looking greener than usual..." Brittany teased and then kissed Dez's nose.

"She threatened to burn my sneaker collection," Dez said with a furrowed brow.

"Huh?" Brittany's fingers that had _still_ been lazily gliding along Dez's back stopped.

"When you and Quinn were talking, she said that if I hurt you, she'll get her hands on my entire sneaker collection and burn it. Then she told me not to tell you, but I thought you might want to hear about, not because I want you to get mad at her, but because I thought it would make you happy... in a weird, protective best friend/ex-girlfriend way," Dez half rolled her eyes and shrugged, then turned her head a little and kissed Brittany's shoulder.

"I love you."

She couldn't just think it anymore. Quinn was right, waiting for the right moment wasn't the way to do it. She was thinking it, and needed to be out. When Dez finished telling Brittany about Santana's threat, the words just bubbled up into her head and overflowed right over her tongue and out of her mouth.

Dez froze with her lips still on Brittany's shoulder. Her lack of movement instantly made Brittany feel self-conscious and all of the 'what-ifs' started slinging through her mind. Most of them ending with her leaving and having nowhere to go for a few hours.

She felt pressure on her hip and then before she even knew what was happening, Dez was facing her. Her knees were on either side of her thighs and her forearms were resting on her shoulders. For a moment, she stayed there taking in Brittany's face then she crashed their lips together in a kiss that made all of those little touches before seem like high fives. Dez's tongue slipped across Brittany's bottom lip, eliciting an inescapable moan that forced her mouth open. Immediately, Brittany's bottom lip was wedged between Dez's teeth and being pulled lightly until it popped back into place. With her fingers completely tangled in Brittany's hair, Dez directed Brittany's head forward and down so that their foreheads were pressed together and they were sharing the same heated breathing space.

After a few ragged breaths and one delicate kiss to Brittany's lips, Dez smiled and exhaled, "I love you, too."

And then a 'what-if' that she wasn't ready for began to play out.

"Let's go to my room," Dez whispered into the breathing space.

"Are you sleepy?" Brittany knew that wasn't what Dez was going for but it was worth a shot.

"Uh uh," Dez answered and Brittany determined it wasn't worth a shot at all.

"Two days," was all Brittany could muster as Dez started kissing down her neck.

Dez's lips found Brittany's ear and whispered, "It's okay."

'Oh god,' Brittany's resolve was melting away faster than an ice cube in boiling water. Dez was going places with her lips that they hadn't dared before. Without even thinking, Brittany had put her hands on Dez's hips and was digging her thumbs into her hip bones, while Dez had pulled over her v-neck and latched her lips onto her collar bone. Her other hand was creeping slowly up Brittany's shirt.

When she felt her thumb press underneath the wire in her bra, Brittany's hand shot up and grabbed her wrist, "Dez!"

"Yeah?" Dez's hips ground down into Brittany and she sucked hard on her collar bone.

Brittany's head rolled back, hitting the back of the couch, but it gave her enough leverage to push Dez back slightly, "It's not okay."

"No, it is okay," Dez panted and turned her hips again, this time keeping eye contact with Brittany, "it's my rule, we can break it."

"But then we'd be breaking my rule," Brittany said with urgency as Dez began to bring her lips back to her neck.

"And what rule is that?" Dez licked Brittany's neck from its base to her ear.

'Fuck...'

"Don't break other people's rules," Brittany said the best she could under the current circumstances.

Dez lifted her head and sat back on Brittany's thighs, adopting a confused perhaps even slightly hurt look, "Do you not want to...?"

Brittany bit down on her lip as she acknowledged the pain between her legs telling her how _much_ she wanted to, "Without a question..."

"Then wh-"

Brittany placed her hands on Dez's cheeks and pulled her into her lips. She slowly dragged her tongue across Dez's bottom lip and when she opened her mouth to grant Brittany permission, she took her lips back and smiled, "Because I'm still going to be in love with you in two days. Probably more. And this feeling that you're giving me right now, never really goes away, so what's two more days? Two more days that I know you'll feel bad about giving up."

Dez began to shake her head and Brittany spoke up, "You'd feel really great, but you wouldn't."

"Maybe," Dez said despite herself.

"Just two days," Brittany whispered and pulled Dez's hands up to her lips.

"You're right," Dez sighed crawled off of Brittany's lap.

"I know," Brittany replied somewhat smugly as she draped her arm back over Dez's shoulders. On her hand's way across Brittany's stomach, Dez smacked her abs, "Unf. What was that for?"

"Being mean," Dez looked up from Brittany's shoulder, pushed up a little and kissed her, "And that was for being an amazing girlfriend."

"Hmm..." Brittany twisted her lips a little, "I guess I can live with that."

She kissed Dez's forehead and pulled her into her tighter.

"Ugh!" Dez groaned, "We have to start this over!"

...}{...

_The_ Apartment

'I'll be right back.'

Generally "I'll be right back," implies leaving and then coming back somewhere between five seconds and five minutes.

Quinn said that and left Santana in the kitchen twenty minutes ago. Santana had enough time to hand wash the plates, the utensils and all three pans she'd used. She had time to run to the bathroom and cut and file her nails... even though they didn't really need it.

After another five minutes, she decided that Quinn's "right back" might have had something wrong happening.

Like sleeping.

Slowly, she crept back down the hall towards the bedroom. Since it was her own room, she instantly decided against knocking and slowly opened the door. Peeking her head in, she caught a glimpse of Quinn hopping up and down pulling up a pair of Slo-Pez's jeans over a pair Santana's boxers. She already had on one Santana's black beaters and her gray Indians fitted.

It was absolutely impossible for Santana to contain her laughter.

"Hey!" Quinn scoffed when she heard the laughter, "I said I'd be right back!"

"Oh my god! What are you doing?" Santana continued laughing as she entered the room, approaching Quinn.

"Being adorable in all the clothes I stole from you before we left," Quinn pouted and then pulled at the legs of the jeans.

"You took all these with you?" Santana stood surprised at Quinn's sneakiness.

"Yeah, and that shirt," she pointed to a purple and black plaid shirt laid out on the bed, "How the fuck do you were these! They're all bunchy!" Quinn was still pulling at the legs of the pants.

"What the boxers? You didn't pull them down," Santana said and came up closer to Quinn, who did in fact look absolutely adorable.

"Guys don't do that in movies and stuff," Quinn shrugged and then turned around to fix her... Santana's underwear.

"That's because if they're pulling up their pants in a scene, it's almost over and the actor doesn't give a shit. In real life however... nevermind, I'm recalling a very dark time in my life when all I really want to think about is this glorious time of light and lady loving," Santana's eyes were closed and she was rubbing her temples in an attempt to clear her mind of all things disgusting in her past.

"You sure you don't want to recall that dark time just a teensy weensy little bit?" Quinn asked walking up to Santana and pressing herself up to her and draping her arms over her shoulders.

"Maybe I could... a little," Santana's mouth hung open slightly, as she worked her hand down in between herself and Quinn to confirm what she _thought_ she felt pressing up against her, "You didn't take _that_ with you, did you?"

"No," Quinn laughed a little, "it stayed behind in the closet."

"Oh, very witty," Santana singsonged as she slowly inched the tank top off of Quinn who definitely wasn't wearing a bra with the ensemble. Just as the hem got to her breasts, Santana stopped lifting and asked with joking accusation, "You aren't like, trying to tell me something with this whole thing, right?"

"Like...?" Quinn quirked up her eyebrow only to get the same response from Santana, "Like... OH NO! Ew!" She smacked Santana's shoulders one after the other, "Come on! Don't ruin this!"

"Okay, okay! I'm sorry!"

"Fucking right, you're sorry," Quinn growled and grabbed the top of the fly on Santana's jeans, pulling her roughly towards her.

Santana gulped, not because she was scared, but because she was so turned on by Quinn's force, her throat wasn't working right.

"You wanna know what I'm trying to tell you with this whole thing?" Quinn asked as she moved to Santana's ear then nibbled on the tiny bit of flesh on top of the cartilage.

"Mhm," Santana nodded unable to form actual words.

"That I want you," she licked up Santana's ear, then yanked her shirt over her head, "against that wall," she looked behind Santana to hallway, then unbuttoned, unzipped and pulled her pants off, "so I can fuck you on it."

"Fuck..." Santana exhaled as she started stepping backwards towards the doorway.

As they moved, Quinn finished pulling off her tank top, knocking off the hat in the process, then pulled off the pants and boxers, gracefully stepping out of them while they walked. When they were close enough, Quinn shoved Santana against the wall and immediately attacked her neck with her lips and teeth.

"Mmm... fuck... Quinn..." Santana moaned as Quinn left her mark on the base of her neck. She reached back and unhooked her bra, then pulled off her underwear hoping that Quinn would hurry up and give something else the attention that it had been wanting for over a week.

Noticing that Santana had removed that last bit of clothing, Quinn moved her mouth right along. She bent down a little and roughly kissed and bit her way down to Santana's nipple. While she sucked it into her mouth and flicked at it with her tongue, her hand squeezed, pinched and turned its counterpart causing Santana to writhe against the wall.

"Uh... fuck! Quinn!" Santana's hand smacked against the wall in semi-frustration as Quinn switched and repeated, "Just fucking... uhh!"

Santana lifted her leg and wrapped it around Quinn's back, pulling her up and into her and causing the apparatus that had been between them all along to slide against her clit. The contact made her shiver and pull Quinn even closer with both her leg and her arms.

When Santana loosened her grip a little, Quinn slipped her hand down and dipped two fingers into Santana's folds. She lightly rolled Santana's swollen clit between her fingers then slipped them down further coating them with as much of her wetness as she could. Her wet fingers slid across the curved blue silicone hanging from her hips, coating it where it hadn't made already made contact. She surrounded the tip with her hand pressing the tip against Santana's clit causing the girl against the wall to shiver again. As she pressed it up a little and teetered it at Santana's entrance, she looked at Santana waiting for her approval.

"Please," Santana moaned, bending her knee a little to try and make it happen faster.

Without anymore hesitation, Quinn pressed into Santana and as she did so, Santana's hips rolled up off the wall.

"Fu-huck," Santana moaned as the curved dildo slid mercilessly against her spot. Elongated syllables of pleasure found their way into the air with every slow, drawn out push and pull of Quinn's hips.

Quinn's hand was positioned next to Santana's head on the wall while the other was grasping firmly on her ass, pulling her into her with every push.

"Is your leg tired?" she asked with a wicked grin into Santana's ear as she pushed the curved silicone into her as deep as she possibly could.

"I don't... even... care..." Santana moaned deeply with difficulty as Quinn pulled back.

"Good," Quinn said with the same grin and pushed back into Santana with full force.

"Ay dios-" Santana's head lolled back and hit the wall with a light thud. She kept it there as Quinn latched her lips and teeth onto her neck and relentlessly thrusted in and out of her. With every inward thrust, the hilt of the strap-on crashed into Santana's clit and with every pull back she left with an extra jolt of electricity that zapped away at the knot that was just about ready to bust apart.

By now both of Santana's legs were just barely doing their jobs. One needed to hold her up and the other needed to stay out of the way.

"I... my le..." she moaned incoherently as she teetered on the edge.

Immediately, the hand Quinn had next to Santana's head dropped to her other hip, pulling up and taking some of Santana's weight. At the same time it caused her thrusts to dig impossibly deeper and with just one more set of pull then push Santana found herself grabbing and clawing Quinn's back, barely able to hold herself up through the orgasm firing through every inch of her body.

Despite the pain her back was experiencing, Quinn kept the steady thrust in her hips waiting to hear one thing.

"FUCK! QUINN!" Santana screamed, digging her thankfully short nails into Quinn's already aching skin.

Quinn pushed in one last time and stayed with her face in Santana's neck, pushing her body into the wall. Santana's leg dropped off of Quinn's back, letting her foot smack the floor.

"Off," Santana huffed, dropping her arms.

"What?" Quinn exhaled into her neck.

"This," Santana panted and started pulling at the straps around Quinn's hips, "fucking off."

"Are you-"

"Shut up!" Santana said through her ragged breathing and kept at the straps until they slipped off of Quinn and fell to the floor, landing with a smacking thud.

When Quinn went to pick it up, Santana put her hand out, catching Quinn's chin and ordered, "Leave it."

With adrenaline making her legs function, Santana lowered her hand to Quinn's chest and pushed her back into their room until Quinn fell back onto the bed. The second her lightly torn up back hit the bed spread she inhaled a sharp hiss.

"Is that my fault?" Santana dropped her act for a moment, worried that she'd really hurt Quinn.

"It's okay," Quinn assured and grabbed her wrists to pull her on top of her, "Worth it."

Santana smirked and then ran her teeth over her bottom lip, taking in the gorgeous, sexy, blonde underneath her. She nodded her head a little asking Quinn to move up on the bed and together they moved towards the head board, Santana crawling between Quinn's legs.

On her way up to kiss Quinn, Santana licked up from her belly button to the middle of her chest, tasting the thin layer of sweat that had accumulated during her previous efforts. Her lips stopped at one of Quinn's perfect collar bones and sucked the salty skin into her mouth. Quinn responded with a heavy exhale and her legs wrapping Santana's back to pull her closer to her.

If Quinn had her way, Santana would have been grinding into her center by now, but of course Santana had her own plan, so before her pelvis and Quinn's clit could meet, she used all the strength in her abs and thighs to stop Quinn's.

"Aaaauuugh!"

"Oh don't worry," Santana purred into Quinn's neck, "You're gonna be really happy with my plan."

Quinn's eyes rolled back with every possibility running through her brain, all of them ending with her yelling out Santana's name. She just hoped it would go into effect quickly because she'd been ready for it for long enough.

Santana's tongue made its way up Quinn's neck to her ear, where she nibbled lightly. Slowly, she kissed her way down Quinn's jawline to her lips. As her tongue asked for permission to enter Quinn's mouth, one of her hands lifted up from the bed and ghosted its way down Quinn's chest to an impatient nipple. Their tongues battled for dominance until Santana pinched hard, causing Quinn to gasp and Santana to gain complete control. She sucked Quinn's tongue into her own mouth and let her teeth graze it until it was back with Quinn.

"All about the teasing..."

Quinn slammed her fists down on the mattress and tried to pull Santana with her legs again.

"And way more about the pleasing," Santana left Quinn with a quick kiss on her lips then slinked down Quinn's body leaving a trail of wet kisses between her breasts then over her abs.

"Fuck yes..." Quinn whispered as her legs dropped from Santana's back.

With Quinn's legs next to her, Santana grabbed her thighs and pulled Quinn closer, lifting up her hips. She kissed her inner thighs, inhaling Quinn's scent with every touch.

"Baby, please," Quinn rolled her hips up.

"Only because you said please," Santana pointed her tongue and licked up one of Quinn's lips, "and baby."

Santana kissed the top Quinn's slit and then aimed her tongue down to a little hooded figure. First she circled it then flicked it up and back down. She pointed her tongue into a tiny, familiar spot that always sent a noticeable shiver through Quinn. She did it once: a shiver, twice: another shiver, three times: Quinn's hips jolted up and she whimpered a little.

Satisfied with her work, Santana moved on to her next favorite thing: she curled her tongue around Quinn's clit, then sucked it in between her lips. She sucked it until Quinn's hips started turning and pushing up into her. She let Quinn's clit pop out from between her lips, then licked down from her clit to her entrance where her tongue administered circles on the sensitive nerves residing there.

"Yesss..."

Santana brought her tongue back up to Quinn's clit, repeating her initial motions and finally sucking it back between her lips. Then, she dragged her fingers down Quinn's back, over her ass to her entrance where she immediately thrust two fingers into her impossibly wet entrance.

"Fuck," Quinn's fingers tangled into Santana's hair, grabbing a handful, "you're so fucking good!"

"Mmm," Santana hummed into Quinn's clit and recommenced flicking at it while she sucked. She kept her hand's pace fairly slow and after a few thrusts, removed them.

Quinn moaned out her protests until Santana returned with three fingers, "Uuh huh! Ffffuck!"

Santana hummed out a little laugh this time, then licked from her pumping fingers back up to Quinn's clit. She circled it one more time then sucked it back between her lips. She made sure that with every thrust she was pressing into Quinn's spot. With every thrust she also made sure to point her tongue into that other spot. She looked up for a moment to see Quinn grabbing at her breast and pinching at her nipple with the hand that wasn't tangled up in Santana's hair. All that was coming out of Quinn's mouth by now were wordless, breathy moans.

Santana quickened all of her movements at once, rapidly and roughly. She felt the grip on her hair tighten and pull, then her ears were filled her favorite voice.

"Ohmygod! Santana!"

She smiled and pulled slowly out of Quinn once the grip on her hair lightened. She placed a light kiss on Quinn's clit and smiled again when she shivered. Quinn sighed heavily when Santana let her hips back down to the mattress and then laughed breathily as Santana made her way back up her body. Santana shifted her body onto Quinn's side, placing her head on her shoulder and draping her arm over Quinn's stomach.

"I _really_ missed you," Quinn exhaled and turned to kiss Santana's forehead.

Kissing Quinn's chest, Santana laughed and mumbled, "Yeah, phone sex just doesn't cut it."

Laughing, Quinn shook her head, "Not at all." The word "all" led directly into a yawn that she tried so hard to prevent from happening.

"Sleepy?" Santana looked up and kissed Quinn's chin.

"But I said all night," Quinn quasi-whined and rolled her head to rest her cheek on Santana's forehead.

"Beautiful, it's okay. This was definitely 'deliciously explicit,'" Santana nuzzled her nose up to Quinn's chin, "Delicious for sure."

Quinn just smacked her hip.

"Think you can make it under the covers," Santana asked as she swirled her fingers on Quinn's abs.

"Yes," Quinn huffed and started the move to the top of the bed.

Together they settled under the covers, falling into their necessary falling asleep positions. Santana's front was pressed to Quinn's back with one arm slipped under Quinn's pillow, the other draped around her waist and her top leg was on top of Quinn's bottom. She tucked the hand on Quinn's waist underneath her, kissed her shoulder and whispered, "I love you."

"And I love you," Quinn whispered back and tucked her hand between Santana's and the mattress. Then she did something new: she wiggled her hips a little and nuzzled her butt into Santana's front.

"Oh my god," Santana chuckled into Quinn's back, "You need to do that forever."

"Forever?" Quinn asked hoping to hear the words come out in Santana's voice once again.

"Forever."

* * *

**A/N: Perhaps that was a little gratuitous. Hopefully I don't get any complaints. Anyways, I finished the last chapter. Just thought I'd let everyone know. Can't wait to hear from you all!**


	34. That Thing's Huge!

December 2015, New York City  
Back to TriBeCa

Frustrated.

It took Brittany her entire trip home from Dez's apartment to figure out that _that_ was how she was feeling. This was a completely foreign feeling to her. She'd never waited this long before. At the same time, she'd also never _wanted_ it this much before. It had always been easy for her to find it if she wanted it or find some way to get through her slight frustration whether it was through herself or dance. Neither of those things were enough. She was positive that she could masturbate for twenty-four hours straight or dance until her legs went numb and she wouldn't remedy her current situation.

Of course it didn't stop her from trying.

As she walked up the stairs to the apartment, she hoped with everything she had that Quinn and Santana wouldn't be there or if they were, that they'd just leave her alone for at least an hour... maybe two.

She pushed her red key into the dead bolt, turned it, pulled it out then traded it out for her purple key and pushed it into the door knob. She kept whispering "please," over and over as she turned and pushed the door open. Slowly she peeked inside then pushed open the door to fully to walk in. After dragging in her duffle bag, she turned around and closed the door, pushing in the lock button on the knob. When she turned back around to drag duffle bag into her room, she caught sight of what she immediately recognized as a strap on on the floor across from Quinn and Santana's door.

"Ohmygodohmygodohmygod!"

Brittany was laughing so hard she backed up into the door and started sliding down it as she clutched at her already aching abs.

Vaguely, she heard shuffling coming from somewhere up the hall and in a few seconds, Santana was at her door, yawning and yanking at a hoodie, "What the fuck, B?"

Brittany just pointed. Words weren't even possible at this point.

"Wha- oh..." Santana's sleepy annoyed facial expression quickly turned to an awake, mortified one, "uh..."

"I just... wha... how?" Brittany howled though her rolling laughter.

"How about we don't ask questions," Santana gave an awkward smile and quickly scooped up the strap on. She tossed it into what Brittany assumed was the closet and then crossed the hall to the bathroom.

With great effort, Brittany managed to get herself off the floor. She was still laughing pretty hard but she got her duffle bag into her room and her shoes kicked off. Finally, breathing out the last of it, she walked to the kitchen to try and scrounge up something for breakfast. All that laughter made her hungry... or maybe it was her frustration that she'd forgotten about until the laughter was totally gone.

"Dammit."

Luckily, Santana had gone shopping since her return and there was plenty of food in the kitchen. Technically it wasn't any of hers, but she hadn't been refused yet.

"Hey, San? Can I have an English muffin?" she called out hoping that she hadn't made Santana too mad. She continued to rummage around the cabinets trying to see if there was any peanut butter.

"If you can wait a little longer I can make you a fancy breakfast sandwich," Santana said to Brittany's back as she got into the kitchen.

"Yes, please," Brittany answered immediately and took a seat at the island.

Santana laughed a little as she walked towards the fridge. She stopped for a few seconds when she got there, sighed and shook her head, then opened the double doors to start gathering things for the sandwiches.

"Is Quinn still sleeping?" Brittany asked leaning over the island to try to look into the living room to see if she was there if she wasn't sleeping.

"Nope," Santana pointed to the dry erase board on the fridge that Brittany hadn't noticed had a note scrawled onto it.

**S,  
****Emergency meeting with Ilona. I'll be back with plenty of time to help get ready for tonight.  
****I love you!**

**B,  
****Can't wait to hear all about your night!  
****xo**

"Why would she have to meet with her boss on New Year's Eve?" Brittany questioned, unable to fathom a reason why her beyond cool boss would ever call her in to work on New Year's Eve.

"She woke up at like four o'clock this morning," Santana sighed, "_I_ thought it was for round three, but she got up, kissed me and said, 'I have to write.' Then she was out of the room and somewhere out here."

"So, you think _she_ asked Ilona to meet?"

"Mhm," Santana hummed and turned back around clearly unhappy with the situation.

"Uhm, wait a second, isn't this a good thing? No, scratch that, this is a great thing! Quinn has ideas for her book! I feel like you should be way more excited about this," Brittany said pointing out how uncharacteristic Santana's lack of enthusiasm for her girlfriend's success was.

"I am excited for her," Santana turned around and rolled her eyes.

"You sure don't sound like it... or look like it..."

"It's just," Santana exhaled heavily and then threw her arms out, "she said we were gonna have sex like, all night and then she blew me off for some 'ideas!'"

"Baaaah!" Brittany pounded her fist on the table and laughed, "That's almost as funny as the strap on in the hall! Which, please tell me Quinn was wearing that!"

"Wha-why?" Santana's arms flew out again and then smacked back down onto her hips.

"I just... I need to know," Brittany shrugged, "I need to know you _are_ in fact Quinn's bitch. Hey," she picked her arms up in surrender, "I'm not saying it's a bad thing..."

Santana growled a little and turned back around to the counter.

"SHE WAS!"

"Oh shut up!" Santana turned back around with an egg in her hand, "Hey, at least my girlfriend isn't a flesh eating monster! What the fuck did you do to get that thing?" she pointed towards Brittany's shoulder and when Brittany looked at her like she was crazy, she walked up to the island and reached across to poke at her.

"Ow! What the-" Brittany looked down to her collar bone where she saw a tiny bit of reddish purple sneaking out of her v-neck. She pulled it over a little and gasped at the giant hickey that Dez had left her with.

"Looks like love," Santana teased, leaning onto the island with her elbows and her chin in her palms.

Brittany whimpered a little then buried her face into her arms, "I can't believe I stopped her!"

"It doesn't look like you did. That thing's huge!" Santana continued her playful ridicule.

"No," Brittany mumbled into the table, "I _stopped_ her."

"You stopped- oh. You _stopped_ her," Santana was finally getting it, "Wait, you stopped her? With less than two days left you stopped her from breaking _her own_ rule?"

"Yehehess," Brittany whined, picking her head up briefly and then putting her forehead back on her arm.

"Wow! You're such a grown-up," Santana smiled, only half teasing.

"I know," Brittany rolled her eyes and picked her head back up, "I hate it."

"Maybe this breakfast should really be lunch. Do you need some uh," Santana clicked her tongue and nodded her head towards the bedrooms, "alone time?"

"I'm not sure a couple of hours is enough," Brittany mumbled into the island through gritted teeth, "Ugh! No! I need something to eat and something else to talk about!"

"Got it. Two fancy shmancy breakfast sandwiches coming right up!" Santana smacked her spatula on the countertop, "I'm thinking about getting a bell, like in a diner. It'd be like, 'order up,' _ding_," she smacked the spatula on the counter.

Brittany burst out laughing, smacking the island with her fingers, "Nooo! No that is an awful idea!"

"Uh, it's hilarious..."

"Just imagine a drunk Kurt and Rachel...?"

"That was an awful idea, Brittany," Santana scoffed, placing the flat of the spatula on her chest, "I can't believe you thought it would be a good idea to have a bell in this place. Puh!"

"You're right," Brittany deadpanned, "I don't know what I was thinking."

They both laughed, basking in a moment of friendship that they'd both sincerely missed. Santana turned around and commenced making the promised sandwiches and together, for a moment they enjoyed each other's quiet company. It was comfortable and familiar, a stark contrast to the awkward and tense silences of just a few weeks prior.

"Did Quinn like her Christmas gift?" Brittany slipped into the quiet.

"Oh my god! We totally forgot to exchange gifts," Santana turned around with a dumbfounded look complete with a furrowed brow and a slack jaw.

"Seriously? I would have thought that was what all the sexcapades were for," Brittany shrugged and snickered.

After a brief, poignant, 'watch it' look, Santana reapplied her previous expression and said, "No, seriously, we forgot. We were gonna do it last night, but with everything else we must have just... forgotten."

"How could you forget about a Christmas gift that cost three nights' pays at the club?" Brittany asked with a look of incredulity.

"I..." Santana started and stopped, resolving that a shrug was really all she had for a answer.

"Well, just make sure you give her that _before_ you propose to her," Brittany said with a nonchalant shrug.

"That was always the plan, but I'd like to know why you're saying this?" Santana turned around briefly from the three pans she was magically managing on the stove.

"Because there's no way she'll say 'no' after you give her that," Brittany said clearly joking because there was no doubt in her mind that Quinn was going to say 'yes' to Santana's proposal, with or without Santana's ridiculously expensive and grotesquely romantic Christmas gift.

...} {...

"**Hey Q! It's just me. Just wanted to know how you were doing? Guessing you're on a roll. Go babe! Well, I hope I get to hear your beautiful voice soon! I love you!"**

"**Hey, Beautiful! Me again. Just umm... wondering where you might be? Call me back? I love you!"**

"**Umm... okay at this point I'm just really hoping that you're okay because I haven't heard from you literally all day. I called Ilona and she told me that you guys weren't together anymore. Babe, it's 4:30, you've been gone all day. Where are you? Please call me back. I love you."**

Quinn listened to the voicemails she didn't know she was receiving in succession on her way to the subway from the library at NYU. Her last missed call was at 4:32 PM, it was now 4:47.

Three voicemails were nothing to the million text messages she'd gotten from not only Santana, but Brittany, Rachel, Kurt, Ilona, her mother, _and _Dez and Berto.

Perhaps putting her phone silent and turning off the vibration wasn't such a good idea after all.

With just a few blocks before she'd lose reception to the tunnels of the subway, she held down the button on her headphones and after the little dinging sound, asked her phone to, "Call S."

She was so exhausted, she deliriously expected Siri the Bitch to say back, "Oh, the girl that's been calling you for the last three hours? Sure. Calling S."

"Oh my god! You're okay!" she never even heard the other line ring.

"Of course I am," Quinn yawned out of nowhere.

"Babe, you must be exhausted. Take a cab! Where are you?" Santana sounded really worried, but it was completely unnecessary.

"I'm fine and the traffic is shit, I'll never get home. I'm almost at the station. I'll be home soon okay, babe," Quinn said stopping at the top of the stairs to the W 4th St. station.

"Okay, beautiful. Be careful and don't fall asleep on the train," Quinn hoped that she wouldn't fall asleep on the train.

"Okay, babe. I love you. I gotta go though, my phone said a train was going to be here soon," Quinn readied her finger tips at the controls on her ear buds.

"I love you, too. See you soon," Santana still sounded worried.

"Soon, babe, soon. Promise. Bye."

"Bye," Quinn pressed the button and ran down the stairs as fast her body could make it. She rounded the corner, swiped her MetroCard, pushed through the turnstile and made it down the stairs just in time to make the downtown A train she was hoping to take.

There weren't any seats. Standing was perfect for not falling asleep on the train. Unfortunately, when you're as tired as Quinn was in that moment, standing made the train ride last forever. It was only two stops, but they seemed to be days apart.

And then there was the walk. In the freezing cold. Something else to keep her awake and aware.

Once she got to the apartment all that was left were the stairs. Once she was through the door, she tackled them immediately, knowing that if she didn't go at it full force, she'd probably sit down and fall asleep on them. When she got to her floor, she found the door already open with a beautiful, smiling face in the doorway waiting for her.

"Hi," she breathed as stepped up to her.

"Hi, sleepy," Santana said sweetly then leaned in to kiss Quinn, "I think it's nap time." She wrapped her arm Quinn's shoulder and guided her into the apartment, kicking the door closed behind them, then walking straight to their bedroom.

"I got so much done," Quinn said feeling just a little bit more awake.

"Oh yeah?" Santana smiled as she lifted Quinn's messenger bag off of her shoulder, "How much is 'so much?'"

"I made an entire timeline of my life going backwards," Quinn said as her coat was stripped from her body, then her hoodie unzipped and peeled off, "I started with yesterday and worked all the way back to starting at McKinley. I filled a whole notebook."

"You hand wrote it?" Santana stepped back for a second and pulled open one of the drawers in the dresser behind her.

"Yeah," Quinn backed up and sat down on the bed, "Ilona told me to. She said 'there's nothing better than pen and paper to get all of your shit out,'" Quinn giggled thinking about Ilona saying it again, "Can I have a pair of your basketball shorts? The shiny kind?"

"Yes," Santana turned back to the drawer and returned the PJ pants she'd originally grabbed then moved to the other dresser and pulled out a pair of light gray shorts.

"Thank you," Quinn said when Santana handed them to her. She let herself fall back on the bed then pulled off her jeans. When she sat back up from pulling the shorts on, Santana was standing in front of her with a box wrapped with shiny blue paper and a thick red bow. They'd forgotten to exchange their gifts and Quinn didn't even remember until this moment, "We forgot."

"We had important things to attend to," Santana smiled and sat down next to Quinn on the bed. She handed the Quinn the box and smiled even bigger. "Open it," she requested and nibbled on her lip anxiously.

"But mine's in-"

"No, I can't wait anymore," Santana interrupted and stopped Quinn from getting up to go to the living room where the tree was.

Quinn twisted her lips a little and furrowed her brow, then looked down at the blue and red in her lap. Slowly, she brought her fingers to the bow and plucked up one of the ends. Just as slowly, she pulled at it, loosening it until it was completely untied. On her side, she could feel Santana's leg shaking.

"Don't flip it," Santana said urgently when Quinn placed her hands on the sides of the box, "Just um... rip the sides."

"Kay," Quinn breathed, amused at Santana's nerves.

'What is in here?'

She bit down on her lip as she slipped her finger through the tape holding the folded paper together.

"You can rip the paper," Santana urged impatiently.

Quinn laughed a little and paused her hand. She felt the bed start vibrating and saw that Santana's leg was shaking even harder than it was before. Laughing again, Quinn tore right through the paper, revealing a regular, brown, cardboard box.

"It's the box it came in," Santana furrowed her brow and continued shaking her anxious leg.

"Mhm," Quinn nodded and then looked back down to the box. It was taped closed with Scotch tape on top of the already broken clear packing tape. It was easy to open. She pushed one flap down and tucked her fingers under the other, pulling the box open revealing crumpled up _New York Times_ pages.

"Just..." Santana sighed and leaned into Quinn.

Quinn kissed Santana's forehead, closing her eyes as her lips met with her skin. With her eyes still closed she pulled out a crumple and tossed them on the floor. When she took her lips back and opened her eyes, she couldn't believe them. She couldn't even move the rest of the crumpled paper.

"Q?"

"I..." Quinn didn't know what to say. She didn't even know she wasn't breathing until she tried to speak.

"You only took out a few pieces," Santana nudged into Quinn's shoulder.

"I..." Quinn just kept staring at the imprinted, brown cloth underneath the rest of the paper. She already knew what it was.

"You know what it is?" Santana asked, surprised.

Quinn just nodded her head. Barely realizing she was doing it, her hand lowered into the box and started plucking out the papers. After picking out three pages, she could see every inch of the front cover. She put her hand into the box and ran her fingers slowly over the imprints. The fabric was worn and faded, much to be expected of something that was 156 years old.

"How did... it's an..." Quinn was having a hard time breathing. She was staring at something she didn't even think existed anymore

Lying in a plain old, brown, cardboard box and some bubble wrap was a first edition, first issue of _A Tale of Two Cities_ in its original red, fabric binding. If Quinn wasn't so afraid to pick it up, she'd see on the spine an elaborate design with the title and Charles Dickens in gilt.

"This must have cost-"

"Uh uh. Don't say anything about how much it must have cost. If I didn't care, you shouldn't either," Santana smiled and kissed Quinn's temple.

"How did you find this?" Quinn breathed, still unable to look away from it.

"I know someone who knows someone, who knows someone," Santana smirked and popped up her eyebrows. Quinn just quirked up one of hers, asking for the real answer, "Ilona helped me find it. She knows this guy in London who deals specifically with first editions. He actually gave me a deal on it. I'm still not telling you how much it cost."

"Santana... I can't... I can't believe you did this," she was having a hard time breathing and she was starting to feel that pain in her throat that preceded tears. She knew she wasn't going to be able to stop them, so she had to take the box off of her lap and place it behind her. Unable to think of anything else to say, she turned to Santana with a few tears dropping from her eyes and kissed her. She kissed her with all of the elation she was feeling and she just hoped that Santana felt it.

"So you like it?" Santana whispered into the tiny space between their mouths.

Quinn just smiled and kissed Santana again. She laughed into Santana's lips, breaking the kiss and said, "You've made my gift look like something out of a gum ball machine."

"Yeah right," Santana laughed and rubbed her nose against Quinn's then kissed it.

"You'll see," Quinn kissed Santana again, "I'll be right back."

She got up and walked out of the room, turning to the left when she got to the doorway. She walked all the way to living room and picked up the two boxes wrapped in purple paper under the tree. One of them was much bigger than the other and fairly heavy. She shuffled down the hallway, holding the box at its ends and pressing it against her hips. It was just wide enough that she had to walk through the door sideways. When she was completely in the room, she turned and found a slack jawed Santana staring at her.

"Open the top one first," Quinn walked up to Santana and pushed out the boxes towards her with her hips.

"Uhh..."

"Just take the smaller one and so I can put this one down," Quinn laughed.

"Oh," Santana said taking the top box with both hands.

Quinn turned around and slid the large box onto the desk then turned around to see Santana waiting for her. "Open it," she laughed and leaned against the door frame.

Santana smiled and looked down to the purple paper. For a moment she pretended to take her time like Quinn had, but she was far too impatient to actually follow through with teasing Quinn. In seconds the paper was on the floor and Santana was on her feet throwing her arms around Quinn's neck.

"I broke mine while I was at my Aunts'! How did you know?" Santana kissed Quinn quickly and was already popping open the box.

Quinn didn't know that she had broken her headphones. Quinn did know that they were falling apart. Replacing Santana's two year old Beats Mixr headphones was an easy decision to make.

"I didn't," she shrugged.

The difficult gift was the big one. She knew nothing about DJing. She knew that there was equipment involved and that Santana was good at it. She also knew that Santana had a lot of older, hand-me-down equipment from Sonny and she hadn't been able get anything new. So, Quinn needed to be sneaky.

She called Sonny.

Quinn told him what she wanted to do and a budget. Sonny got back to her with what was currently lying across the desk. All Quinn knew about it was that it was all four pieces she was using in one, plus a built in stand for her lap top and only one cord instead of the million she had bundled up in their closet.

"Open this one," Quinn smiled, her excitement over the gift revamped by Santana's excitement over a simple pair of headphones.

With her new headphones around her neck and their cord dangling down to the floor, Santana approached the desk and ran her fingers over the paper. "What is it?" she asked as if Quinn was going to tell her.

"Open it," Quinn laughed.

Santana looked back down to the large box that looked like it could possibly have a flatscreen television in it and popped the tape on the tape on the side. Quinn felt her pulse start racing. She crossed her arms on her chest and felt her leg shaking much like Santana's had been not even ten minutes earlier. The anticipation she was feeling was unbearable and she felt guilty for teasing Santana.

She slid her hand under the paper and across the front of the box, ripping the paper and revealing the black box, blue swirls and a bit of red.

"Oh my god," Santana exhaled and then tore away at the paper revealing the entire thing, "Oh. My. God." Her finger tips went right to one of the turntables and swept up and down as if she were scratching it.

"So, you like it?" Quinn smiled, her heart still pumping her blood a little too quickly.

She looked up at Quinn, exhaled, then stepped around the desk to pull her into a kiss. Quinn heard a sniffle in her ear then a warm drop hit her cheek.

"I've been looking at this for months. How did you..." she didn't finish her question, instead she cupped Quinn's cheeks and kissed her again.

"I know someone who knows someone," Quinn smiled.

"Sonny?" Santana asked as Quinn brushed away one of her happy tears with her thumb.

Quinn nodded. Of course they both went to each others mentors for help obtaining the perfect Christmas gifts.

"Brittany's out with Dez looking for cheap champagne flutes," Santana smirked, pulling on Quinn's hand.

"Babe, as tempting and arousing as that is, I don't think I can," Quinn slumped her shoulders forward as Santana pulled her towards the bed.

"Okay. Nap time," Santana turned and smiled. She picked up the box containing Quinn's book off the bed and moved it the dresser.

"Perfect," Quinn breathed as she crawled up the bed then settled under the covers.

"I have to keep getting ready for the party," Santana said settling in behind Quinn, "But I am more than happy to stay here with you until you fall asleep." She kissed Quinn's shoulder as she draped her arm around her waist, her hand under Quinn's shirt.

Quinn turned quickly and kissed Santana, "I love you."

"I love you, too, beautiful."

Quinn stayed, looking into Santana's gorgeous deep brown eyes. She sighed, feeling her stomach swell up into her chest then turned back and settled back into Santana, nuzzling herself into her the same way she had the night before.

"Forever," Quinn mumbled sleepily into her pillow and succumbed to her bodies exhaustion.

* * *

**A/N: So, have any of you seen Ryan Murphy's tweets lately? If not I suggest you take a gander. Thanks to all of the screenshots my stage mom has been sending me, I'm BEYOND excited for November... and my heart keeps stopping and my face freezes in this shocked/excited look... thanks for that, btdubs. Anyways, I hope you all liked this one. Sorry I flaked out on the sexytimes... well, not really because this is my fic and I do what I want *shrug*. Well, comment away! Please.**


	35. A Story

December 2015, New York City  
Preparing

Everyone was going to start showing up at 8. Santana knew that only Rachel would be there on time, though. She didn't have time to remind everyone what her plan was and what their involvement in it was.

Hopefully everyone would just remember that all they had to do was _not_ talk about it. Then a few minutes after midnight, they were all to "leave" the apartment so Santana could carry on with the plan. Once Santana and Quinn were in the proposal location, they were allowed to come back and stay for a little bit longer to celebrate with them. Much emphasis on the "little bit" part because Santana was sure she was going to want to do some private celebrating afterwards.

It was quarter to 8. Quinn was still getting ready, Santana was plating a few hors d'oeuvres and Brittany and Dez were in the living room watching whatever was on TV (waiting out their few remaining hours of celibacy a good three feet apart).

Hopefully people would be more on time than late. All Santana could think about was how nervous she was. As she arranged little pieces of bread on a dish, she ran through possibilities of what she was going to say. She still hadn't decided. She didn't want it to sound scripted, but she also didn't want it to be so improvised that she was stuttering and stumbling on her words like she always did when she wanted to ask Quinn something.

Quinn might have thought it was cute, but Santana felt like an idiot whenever it happened. She didn't want to feel like an idiot tonight.

She needed people to arrive soon so that she would stop dwelling on it.

Maybe teasing Brez would help.

"You know," Santana said as she placed two dishes on the coffee table, "you'd have more space if you sat on separate couches."

Dez looked at Brittany and Brittany gave Santana a look that should have burned her alive.

"Okay, going to check on Quinn," Santana gritted her teeth and shuffled to the hallway where she saw blonde and tropical jungle green crossing from the bathroom to their bedroom.

'That's new,' Santana thought of the dress that she knew Quinn didn't have before she left for Lima.

She walked to the bedroom and peaked her head in. Quinn was slipping her feet into a pair of, well... 'fuck me' pumps that Santana was also positive she didn't have before.

She gulped loudly at just the sight of Quinn's back. Her legs looked great, her ass looked great, even her back that was completely covered by fabric looked incredibly sexy. When Quinn turned around, Santana was caught staring.

Quinn smirked and asked, "Like it?"

As if she had to ask.

Santana was basically salivating over how Quinn could be absolutely gorgeous and incredibly sexy all at once. Her eyes went from the full length sleeves around to the V that revealed just enough of her chest that it was elegant, its apex stopping just below where here breasts began. Quinn's waist was hugged perfectly by bunched green fabric and the skirt that began to taper from the top of her hips, stopped just above her knees, leaving her sexy, toned calfs out in the open to be accentuated by the black three inch pumps.

"I know, I know," Quinn shook her head, "Kurt's going lambaste me for wearing something so five years ago, but I had to get it when I saw it. Besides, it's a totally different color."

"I will slap him," Santana said with a completely straight face.

"That is highly unnecessary," Quinn scolded Santana through a smile.

"Mmm... so are those 'fuck me' pumps but you're still wearing them," Santana smirked and shamelessly let her eyes wander up and down Quinn's body.

"That look tells me otherwise," Quinn gave her own smirk and waltzed right past Santana, out of the room.

Santana's pulse was racing. Blood was pumping everywhere. _Everywhere_. She was going to close the door and change a certain article of underclothing...

Then the buzzer went off.

"Ow ow!"

The people in the living room were clearly too busy to get it.

Santana let out an exasperated sigh and walked to the buzzer. She didn't even bother asking who it was and buzzed them in. After a few seconds, she heard the distinct sound of heels clicking up the stairs... or was it a pair of men's dress shoes?

_Knock knock knock._

Santana walked to the door and peered through the peep hole. It was both. Kurt and Rachel were on the other side of the door, waiting patiently to be let into the apartment. Well, as patiently as the two of them could. Santana was too busy laughing at watching Kurt fuss with Rachel's hair to let them in right away. It wasn't until a second, clearly annoyed knock came from Rachel that she opened the door, laughing.

"You were watching us weren't you?" Rachel crossed her arms and shifted her weight to one leg.

"I love you guys," Santana sighed and moved out of the way so that they could enter the apartment.

"We love you, too, darling," Kurt stepped in and brushed his cheek against Santana's and kissing the air. He continued down the hall, walking towards the other voices in the living room leaving Santana and Rachel alone.

"How are you?" Rachel whispered and smiled big.

"I'm not sure," Santana whispered back, "I'm ready, but I'm not."

"I actually think I understand what you mean," Rachel smiled, but offered no help. Instead she started walking down the hallway towards everyone else.

"Hey!" Santana whisper yelled to her, closing the door and hoping that she'd come back and make her feel better about her life at the moment.

Rachel turned around and made a zipping motion across her lips, "Remember?"

"Bitch," Santana muttered.

Rachel merely smiled and shrugged then turned around to enter the living room.

"Quinn honey, I love your dress," Kurt's voice rang through the apartment and Santana prepped to march into the living room and slap him like she'd promised, "It's kind of vintage now that it's five years later. And the color is gorgeous!"

"And those heels!" Rachel squealed.

Santana rolled her eyes and was about to enter the living room when the buzzer went off again. Once again she didn't ask who it was and just buzzed them in. It wasn't long before she heard the knock at the door and after seeing it was Berto and Georgia on the other side, she opened the door.

"Ah, my favorite breeders," Santana smiled then laughed at her own term of endearment.

"That's not fair! I can't call you and Quinn anything like that," Berto whined and shook his head.

"Don't even try to come up with anything either," Georgia warned him with a finger poking into his pec.

"Yeah," Santana agreed.

"Hi, Santana," Georgia smiled and hugged her, then she whispered, "I wanna see the ring."

Santana laughed and pulled out her phone, "It's hiding right now, so this will have to do." She went into her pictures and tapped on the one that she'd taken in the jewelry store, then turned it to Georgia and Berto.

Georgia's eyes went wide as she took Santana's phone from her hand, "Oh my god!" She handed Santana her phone back then turned to Berto and gave him a look, "I hope you're taking notes."

"Thanks, bro," Berto furrowed his brow and passed Santana into the hall.

"Hey, my lessons have never failed you," Santana reminded him as she closed the door, "What happened the last time? My memory is a little foggy."

Berto turned around and crossed his arms.

"Well?" Santana egged, smugly.

He rolled his eyes and mumbled, "I got head everyday for a week."

"Ah right. That's why my memory is foggy," Santana shook off the grossness of that thought and pushed Berto towards the living room.

"Hey!" Berto stopped dead in their tracks and turned back around. He bent down a little and whispered, "Good luck tonight."

"Thanks," Santana smiled big and pulled him into a hug.

"Now let's go before our girlfriends think we're making out or something," Berto laughed as he turned back towards the living room.

"Yeah fucking right, B!" Santana guffawed as she followed him.

With his ego clearly shaken, Berto swung back around just as he got into the living room and scoffed, "I'm an awesome kisser!"

Santana watched everyone in the living room stop what they were doing and turn to them. She laughed through her nose and said, "B, you're like my brother. The thought of your mouth being anywhere near mine grosses me out."

"What? The thought of kissing you doesn't gross me out!"

"That's because you're a guy, hun, and Santana will always be your hot friend that's a girl," Kurt's voice cut into the conversation and Berto realized that everyone was listening.

With his face full of guilt and surprise, he turned around to find every single person in the living room laughing. Including his girlfriend. He shook his head and walked further into the living room. He slumped into one of the gigantic couches, probably contemplating a way to get back at Santana.

Everyone went back to their previous conversations. Kurt was talking Dez's ear off about one of his fashion excursions that she was not wise enough to stop herself from asking about. Georgia was quite interested in hearing about Alvin Ailey from Brittany, while Rachel asked Quinn all about her trip back to Lima. Santana decided she'd rescue Dez. It wasn't exactly equivalent, but she felt like she owed her for rescuing Quinn from an unexpectedly hostile Hayley.

"Kurt, she's new and Brittany really likes her, don't scare her away with your overt flamboyancy and lofty stories," Santana said as she glided into their conversation.

"_My_ overt flamboyancy? You're wearing a vest... and boots... healed boots, but boots nonetheless. It's all pretty much screaming 'look at me I'm a dyke!'" Santana's death glare barely formed before he could say, "I say that in the most loving way, of course."

"Santana?" Berto's called out through a smirk that made Santana not want to respond.

"Si, hermano," she cringed a little as responded. She knew something she wasn't really going to like was coming.

His smirk grew a little bigger, "Who in this room _would_ you make out with?" She immediately looked to Quinn, "You can't say Quinn."

'Why tonight?'

"I could have sworn I graduated from high school!"

"You can answer," Quinn smiled from the opposite corner of the room, "I think I already know the answer."

She did know the answer because they'd talked about it. They loved and trusted each other enough to be able to. They were also both a little tipsy from consuming two bottles of wine with Rachel one night and she just _had_ to ask them.

Quinn also knew that her answer was going to get Berto right back.

Santana looked back to Berto and smirked.

'You asked for it, bro.'

"How many times have I said I like your girlfriend more than I like you?"

"What?"

"Yeah!" Santana heard Georgia cheer from the other couch.

"Your girlfriend's hot," Santana shrugged, then looked over at Quinn who was giggling with Rachel.

Quinn looked up and met Santana's eyes. She winked and then mouthed, "I love you."

In that moment Santana felt like they were the only people in the room. They were surrounded, but no one else mattered.

She knew exactly what she was going to say.

...} {...

Ten minutes to Midnight

The only things stopping Brittany from tearing all of Dez's clothes off and showing her _just_ how much she was in love with her were six people and ten minutes.

Everyone was settled in the living room waiting for the ball to drop. Of course as the time got closer, so did Brittany and Dez. They had been able to stay a fairly safe distance from each other all night. Until now. Now they were sitting shoulder to shoulder, hip to hip, thigh to thigh and knee to knee. It wasn't even active touching and Brittany felt herself engulfed in desire.

Seven more minutes.

Brittany looked around the room. Everyone was paired off waiting for 2016. Berto and Georgia were on the other couch, cuddled together. Kurt was on the other end chatting with Rachel who was on the other end of the couch with her and Dez. Quinn and Santana were sitting behind on stools from the kitchen.

Well, at least she thought they were. When she turned around she only found Quinn.

"Where's Santana?" Brittany whispered back to Quinn.

She merely shrugged and went back to watching Ryan Seacrest.

Six minutes.

"I'll be right back," Brittany whispered to Dez, kissed her cheek and got up.

"You'll be back in time for my first kiss of 2016, right?" Dez smiled as she followed Brittany with her head.

"Of course," Brittany gulped at the reminder of the tradition that was the midnight kiss. _That_ might be what sent her spiraling down to point of no return.

She exited the living room and went straight down the hall. She stopped at the bathroom: no Santana. She peaked into the first bedroom: no Santana. Then, she opened the door to her own bedroom. There was Santana staring at an open ring box with her coat draped over her arm.

"Don't be nervous," Brittany said quietly as she closed the door, "Whatever you say is going to be perfect."

"I'm not nervous, actually," Santana looked up with a smile, "I'm happy and excited and anxious- the good anxious."

"I'm so happy for you!" Brittany quietly squealed and wrapped Santana up in a huge hug, "Both of you!"

"Thank you," Santana responded and then sniffled.

"Oh no! No waterworks! Keep that mascara intact," Brittany pushed Santana back then started wiping away the tears. Santana laughed the whole time while Brittany was cleaning up her eyes.

"I'm so glad you're here," Santana smiled, let her eyes linger, then slipped the ring box into one of her coat pockets.

"Me too."

"Come on. I have to get this proposal done so you can get that girl to her apartment and touch her inappropriately," Santana laughed as she walked towards the door.

Santana opened the door before Brittany could respond. She hung her coat back in the closet and walked back to the living room.

'The touching will be _completely_ appropriate.'

One minute.

When Brittany sat back down next to Dez, it felt like her body _knew_ what was allowed to happen to it once this minute passed. Her blood went straight down.

Thirty seconds.

Dez's hand slipped into hers. The mix of the swelling in her stomach and the arousal she was feeling was intoxicating. Dez was intoxicating.

Ten seconds.

"Nine. Eight. Seven. Six. Five. Four. Three. Two. One! Happy New Year!"

"Happy One Month," Dez whispered, bringing her hand to Brittany's cheek. Her hand slipped from her cheek to the back of her neck, pulling Brittany into her lips. Their lips interlocked, one on top of the other sending shock waves through Brittany's body. She was breathless when Dez pulled back and whispered, "I can't wait any longer."

"Just a little bit," Brittany panted lightly.

"Uh uh..."

"Well, better get a jump start on the subway!" Rachel bellowed loudly and out of nowhere, causing Brittany and Dez to jump apart.

"Good idea!" Berto jumped in and jumped up. Quickly everyone followed suit and was down the hall waiting to get their coats from Brittany's room.

Quinn looked clueless and it took everything in Brittany not to laugh.

"Uh... bye?"

"Oh it was wonderful as always," Kurt clapped his hands together, kissed the cheeks of all the ladies that were staying behind then stepped into the stairwell.

Rachel was next, hugging Brittany, Dez, Santana then Quinn, saying separate goodbyes to them all.

Berto and Georgia followed. Georgia had been teasing him about Santana wanting to make out with her over him all night. The wink that she gave Santana after they hugged was probably the funniest thing she did. Berto just huffed and walked into the stairwell.

"Be safe guys!" Santana called to them as they walked down the stairs. Then she partially closed the door and went into the closet. She pulled out hers and Quinn's coats and said, "Tradition says that Quinn and I need to go to the roof."

"Once is hardly a tradition," Quinn quirked up her eyebrow, but took her coat from Santana.

"Well, we're starting one," Santana smiled and led her to the stairs.

As soon as the door was closed, Dez pushed Brittany into her room. She kicked the door closed behind her and kept pushing Brittany until they both fell onto the bed. Dez straddled Brittany's hips and launched a full fledged attack on her neck.

"Fuuhuck..." Brittany exhaled as Dez's hand squeezed her breast over her clothing, "Dez..."

"Mmm... I like when you pant out my name," Dez purred into Brittany's ear then sucked her ear lobe between her teeth.

'Baby...'

"I like that even more," Dez breathed into her neck then kissed down to the dip in her the front of her neck.

Brittany could have sworn she merely _thought_ that. They couldn't be doing this now. Not yet!

Knowing that she was just a little bit stronger than Dez, Brittany caught her off guard and flipped her onto her back so that she was now between her legs and pinning her down to the bed.

"We can't do this yet," Brittany sighed as she took in the sight beneath her. Dez's long, curly and gorgeously naturally highlighted hair was sprawled all around her, her chest was heaving and the hem of her skirt had risen up so that it was just barely covering her.

"Maybe really quick?" Dez asked with a slightly defeated tone.

Brittany shook her head and bent down, taking Dez's lips with her own. She moved her lips to Dez's ear and whispered slowly, "I want to be able to take my time." Then, she pointed her tongue and dragged it up the edge of Dez's ear as slowly as she possibly could.

"Okay," Dez acquiesced through a slightly high pitched sigh and with half lidded eyes.

"I have to let everyone else back in," Brittany said as she steadily got up off of Dez and the bed.

"Mhm," Dez hummed then slowly sat up.

"Meet me in the hall?" Brittany smiled then kissed Dez quickly.

"Okay," she nodded back then shooed Brittany towards the door.

With a light jog, Brittany made her way to the buzzer. She pressed the intercom button, "Guys?"

"Uh hello?" she heard Rachel's voice come through the speaker. Brittany just pressed the button to unlock the door. On her way to the apartment door, she stopped in the bathroom to fix things, like her hair and her clothes... and check out the second hickey that Dez had left her with in just as many days. This one was right under her ear. Not as dark as the other one, but pretty clear to see.

_Knock knock knock_

And no time to cover it.

She walked the few steps to the door while, moving all of her hair to her shoulder in an attempt to hide the mark and avoid annoying prying.

"Welcome back," Brittany smiled when she opened up the door.

"Is _that_ what we were waiting for?" Kurt was pointing right at the spot Brittany had just tried to hide.

Brittany let out a throaty sigh then said, "Yes. Yes it was."

"Go Brittany!" Georgia said with a little fist pump at her chin.

"Pssht! No way, babe, go Dez!" Berto said with a similar hand motion just as Dez came out to the hallway.

A huge blush rose into her cheeks and right in front of everyone that was still standing in the stairway, Brittany couldn't resist telling her, "I love you."

Dez reached out and grabbed her hand, "I love you, too."

"Oh, we're keeping them," Kurt said through an 'awkward' face.

"Nope," Brittany corrected then pointed up, "They are."

...} {...

Six Minutes into a Year

Santana took Quinn's hand the moment they found themselves in the stairwell.

"I like this tradition already," Quinn smiled and nuzzled her shoulder into Santana's just before they hit the stairs.

"What's not to like about making out on a roof with fireworks all around?" Santana joked as they rounded the corner to the next flight of stairs.

"It's cold," Quinn deadpanned with a playful squeeze of Santana's hand.

"Ah, touché, my love, touché," Santana sighed, "Just for a little then."

"Anything for you," Quinn smiled and kissed Santana's cheek once they got to the top of the stairs.

Santana felt her skin heat under Quinn's lips. She was one hundred percent ready to do this. Unlike four hours before, now she was both ready for the step and the action.

She flicked the switch to turn on the lights while Quinn pushed open the door to the roof and kicked the wedge underneath it.

"S, it's snowing," Quinn looked back with a gorgeous, excited smile reaching out for Santana's hands. Once she had them, she was pulling her out into the middle of the roof where she meticulously decided which fireworks to watch. When she was settled on the Hudson ones, yet again, she directed Santana to stand behind her then pulled her arms around to her front, "This is beautiful."

"You're beautiful," Santana whispered into her ear, eliciting a soft giggle from Quinn.

"I've heard that one before," Quinn snarked.

"Enough with the back talk, Lucy Q," Santana squeezed Quinn's waist a little.

"That's it! Ilona called me Lucy today and it took everything in me not to jump across her desk and slap her! I am legally changing my name!"

"I heard that's expensive, maybe you should wait a little bit," Santana said and suddenly felt her heart pounding in her chest.

"Huh?" Quinn's head titled a little, pressing her hair against Santana's cheek.

"I have a story," Santana said before things went away from where she wanted them to be.

"Oh, please, do tell it," Quinn said through an audible smile.

"Hmm..." Santana twisted her lips and pretended she didn't know where to start, "Once upon a time-"

"Seriously?" Quinn turned a little and gave Santana a look, shaking snowflakes onto Santana.

"Yes, seriously! Now listen to my awesome story that starts with 'Once upon a time...'" she knew Quinn was going to scoff at her beginning, but she did it anyways.

"Please continue," Quinn laughed and kissed Santana's already cold, snowy cheek.

"Once upon a time, on a roof identical to this one," she felt Quinn laugh silently, "a very nervous and anxious girl received a kiss from a beautiful girl with blonde hair and hazel eyes. With that one touch from her lips, the nervous and anxious girl was no longer either of those things. The kiss gave her the confidence to tell the beautiful girl with blonde hair and hazel eyes that she was in love with her. Much to her surprise and utter happiness, the gorgeous blonde confessed that she was in love with nervous girl.

"From there they began a relationship that all of their friends were jealous of. They called them gross whenever they did adorable things. The girls didn't care though, they knew they were only joking.

"Along their sometimes bumpy road, they were always there for for each other. With love and respect they could get through anything. Even the arrival of an evil father, an estranged ex-girlfriend and a mother's plan."

By now tears were falling out of her eyes. They weren't appearing in her voice, but her cheeks were definitely wet with more than just melted snow. She took one of her arms from Quinn's waist and slipped her hand into her coat pocket. With her hand wrapped around the velvety box, she continued:

"And now, a year later, because of help from the estranged ex-girlfriend and with a mother's blessing, the nervous girl is standing on the roof with the beautiful blonde asking her to marry her."

She heard Quinn gasp then felt her start to turn around. As she did, Santana took her other hand off her waist and pulled the ring out of her pocket.

"Quinn?" she asked when the blonde who was now facing her completely.

"Mhm?" she hummed back then sniffled.

Santana popped open the box, wiped her cheek then began, "I love you and I know that I want to spend the rest of my life with you. We can do it whenever we're ready, but I know I'm ready for this part and I hope you are, too: Will you marry me... someday?"

Quinn sniffled again, then wiped her cheeks with both hands, "This is why you did all that."

Santana nodded and waited.

"Oh my god," she said nearly inaudibly, "I love you so much!" She threw her arms around Santana's neck and through tears and a whisper answered, "Yes. Yes, I will marry you someday."

Now Santana didn't know what to say. She just let her tears of joy stream down her cheeks while she held Quinn and the ring... the ring!

"I got this," she said taking it out if the box behind Quinn's back. Once Quinn brought her arms down, Santana took up her left hand and slid the small fortune onto her ring finger.

"Oh my god," Quinn's mouth fell open as she stared at her hand.

"I know it's a little excessive, but I saw it and it was the one," Santana started that nervous rant thing she was so good at.

"It's beautiful," she sniffled and wiped her cheeks with her right hand. She looked up and gave a teary smile, "I love you."

"I love you, too," Santana whispered back and kissed Quinn gently.

Gentle wasn't enough for Quinn. One hand went behind Santana's head while the other groped down to her ass. Santana moaned when Quinn's tongue slid across her bottom lip then shivered when their tongues met.

"Let's go inside," Quinn didn't even wait for a response to start pulling Santana towards the door.

She really wished she didn't tell everyone they could come back to the apartment.

"Babe," Santana winced, "We still have company."

"Everyone left- you told them they could come back to celebrate," Quinn answered for Santana, "We're getting them out quick!"

"You don't have to tell me twice," Santana said as she kicked the wedge out of the door then flicked the light switch. They went down the stairs quickly, shaking snow off of themselves and when they got to the door, realized that neither of them had a key.

_Knock knock knock_

Brittany was the one who answered. She was wearing an expression caught somewhere between excitement and worry. As soon as Quinn flipped up her left hand, Brittany screamed and wrapped her arms around both of the girls in the stairwell.

"I need to know everything," she squealed as she jumped with excitement.

"Definitely," Santana smiled and then caught sight of Dez waiting behind, "But later because you need to get some."

Brittany's face turned red and she turned around, ducking her head down to try to avoid Dez's starving eyes.

"Well?" Rachel poked her head out of the kitchen and was followed by Kurt, Berto and Georgia.

Quinn looked at Santana for a moment with a blissful smile, then turned to everyone else, flashing up her left hand.

Then they were bombarded. They barely got into the apartment before everyone else was hugging and congratulating them.

"Oh my goodness! It's even more gorgeous on your hand," Kurt exclaimed with awe as he held onto Quinn's hand staring at it.

"And it's gigantic!" Georgia sounded shocked, "It's two carats, isn't it? The picture made it look like one."

"It's two," Santana confirmed, then apologized to Berto the best she could without saying anything or letting Georgia see.

"Congratulations!" Dez smiled. She was standing off to the side a little, away from most of the chaos with her legs crossed over one another.

It didn't go unnoticed by Santana or Quinn.

If she was having trouble, so was Brittany and they had Brittany's back.

At the same time, _they_ needed everyone out of their place.

"Okay everyone! I love you all and I'm really happy you're here with us, but please leave so that I can have lots of loud sex with my fiancé!"

Everyone froze, staring at Quinn for a moment, including Santana. She loved the way every word after "but" sounded, especially the French one at the end.

Once the not-so-subtle hint sunk in, everyone was competing for first out the door.

Brittany and Dez won.

Their footsteps pounded rapidly down the stairs as the other four left at just a hurried pace, actually saying their goodbyes and congratulations again. By the time they got out the door, Brittany and Dez were probably already at the subway.

"Young love," Quinn sighed as she shut the door.

"Yeah, we're old news," Santana shrugged then pulled Quinn towards their room.

"I should call my Mom," Quinn said as Santana pushed over her hair and kissed the back of her neck.

"She owes me. Mama Fabray can wait a few hours."

"Okay," Quinn shrugged and without haste, pulled her dress off over her head. "Just so you know," she said as she kicked off her shoes and backed up towards the bed, "I'm not taking this off. Ever." She flashed the ring at Santana then brought it down to stare again.

"I was hoping that would be the case," Santana smiled and kissed her beautiful blonde haired, hazel eyed fiancé.

* * *

**A/N: I've been postponing this for a while mostly because every other review I get is "I can't wait for the proposal." This is the most nerve-wracking chapter yet! Don't be too harsh on me. One more left! I have some finishing touches to put on it so just be patient with me. Thanks! Lots and lots of love to you all. **


	36. Ready

August 2019, New York City  
Two Books Published and Two Years Into Law School  
aka  
Someday

Two white limos were waiting outside of The London NYC on W 54th St, while a dapper man in his mid-twenties paced back and forth between them with a phone to his ear.

"Is she almost ready?... okay, get her down here... remind her that we have to walk all the way to the site... hold on, the other line... Hey! Ten more minutes and then start getting her out... Oh, seriously?... Shit! Okay, I'll be up in a few... See ya!... Hey! I have to go back up the room for pictures... it's fine, just make sure to get into the first one, okay and make sure there are two bouquets... Mmm I love you, too... see you in a half an hour!"

He slipped the phone into a pocket in his jacket, said a few things to the drivers and power walked back into the hotel. If he hadn't spent so much time designing his suit, he'd probably running.

He pressed the up button between the elevators and waited for the next one to show up. When he heard the ding, he stepped in front of the one on the right, leaving enough space for people to exit. It dinged again, revealing a group of six familiar faces and one not-so-familiar holding a camera. Amongst them were a three year old boy, two women in their late thirties, two women and a man in their mid-twenties.

One of the younger women was looking at herself in the mirrors of the elevator.

"Tana?" the three year old called, tugging on the skirt of her grape dress.

"¿Sí Hombrecito?" she turned around and looked down to the boy with a gigantic smile.

"The doors opened," he said crossing his arms as best he could in his suit.

"Then let's go! We have places to be!"

"KURT!" the little boy ran to the man who'd been waiting patiently for everyone to exit the elevator.

"Hey, Doyle! Who tied your tie for you? I thought I was supposed to do it!" Kurt put his hands on his hips and pursed his lips.

"Berto did it," Doyle nodded his head towards a muscular man in a suit that matched Doyle's and Kurt's exactly, aside from the size.

"You never came to do it, bro," Berto offered up his hand to Kurt for a handshake. When he had his hand, he pulled Kurt into a hug, "Thanks for making me look so fly, man. This purple tie is sweet!"

"That's my job, Berto," Kurt laughed and then caught sight of his best friend, "You look magnificent." He kissed her cheek then stepped back to get another look. "Just below the knee was definitely the right choice."

"Definitely," she smiled, "and thanks for not making these look like your typical Bride's Maid dresses: heinous."

"Puh! As if he'd do that to you," the girl in the purple dress smiled, overhearing the conversation from her own with her aunts.

"Absolutely stunning, Santana. Grape!" Kurt laughed, "Who'd have thought it would be so beautiful?"

"We did," the two older women said in unison.

"Of course you did," Kurt laughed to Santana's elated aunts, "Okay, you guys have a limo to get to and I have pictures to be in! So go!" He wasted no time and bypassed them all, slipping into the elevator. "Rach! Call me when you get there!"

The doors were closed before he could hear a response and he didn't have time to get one anyways. He pressed the 52 and waited for the doors to reopen. Once it arrived, he power walked around some corners until he reached the room he was looking for. He pulled out a room key, slipped it in and pushed through the door.

"Finally!" a girl with long curly hair and green eyes huffed as soon as he was visible.

"Sorry! I got caught up at the elevator-"

"Did you see her?" a beautiful blonde wearing a simple, elegant, white dress asked anxiously.

"Yes," Kurt sighed, "And she looks beautiful. I know that's what you were going to ask." He winked and then leaned in to air kiss her cheek. No making a mess of her make-up.

"Okay, one group photo and then one with just Quinn and Kurt and we can head out," the photographer said from a corner of the room.

"Did you already do the mother/daughter one?" Kurt asked baffled by how much he'd missed.

"Yes, dear, you were busy coordinating," a woman who was obviously the blonde's mother said with a smile. She looked stunning in her off-white, half-sleeve, below the knee dress. It's beading made it much busier than Quinn's dress, but took nothing away from the bride.

"Okay, Quinn and Judy in the middle and then Dez and Kurt on the outside... great... one more... perfect... now Quinn and Kurt... gorgeous guys... one more... and we're ready!" the photographer quickly began to pack up her things.

"You have Brittany's bouquet, right?" Kurt asked Dez frantically.

"Yeah, I don't know why she needs one though, she has to hold a folder..." Dez mused as she grabbed the two bouquets of purple roses and white calla lilies.

"They're for the pictures after the ceremony," Kurt said as he reattached his own calla lily to his lapel and then adjusted his grape handkerchief.

"Let's go," the anxious blonde insisted, picking up the skirt of her dress and making her way to the door without waiting for anyone else.

"They're gone, you aren't going to be able to see her," Kurt said as he walked up to Quinn.

"I know, but the sooner we go, the sooner I can," she sighed with her hand on the door handle.

"You heard the woman, let's go!" Kurt waved the three women in the room to follow and within barely any time at all, they were in the second limo on their way to their drop off point outside of the 72nd Street entrance on Central Park West.

She knew it was cliché, but Quinn wanted nothing more than to get married in Central Park. It's an oasis in the middle of a concrete jungle with a million gorgeous places to hold a ceremony.

Santana didn't care that it was cliché either because it was what Quinn wanted. All she wanted was a perfect day with her wife-to-be and their closest family and friends. It was going to happen.

A lot of people get married in Central Park. The girls were aware of that. They were also aware that they would need to choose their 'someday' a little bit sooner than they thought they were going to.

Quinn finished her first novel five months after she and Santana graduated from NYU. Three months later it was on shelves. Two weeks later, she walked into the Strand and saw it standing up on their Featured table. She had no idea they were doing that. If she had, she might not have walked into the store. She wasn't really ready for her first moment of celebrity. A customer recognized her as she was walking towards the Classics. It was a teenage girl, probably fifteen or sixteen. She was shy, but she told Quinn how much she was looking forward to reading her book. The whole encounter made Quinn's insides turn with nerves. She was just a teenager, a nice one at that, but Quinn still wasn't entirely prepared to talk to people about it.

In that moment, her respect for what Santana and DJ Slo-Pez dealt with on a regular basis grew. Her respect and empathy rose to another level the moment her book showed up the _New York Times_ Bestseller list for Children's Chapter Books. She started getting phone calls asking for interviews. Quinn suddenly needed an agent.

In the meantime, DJ Slo-Pez's career really heated up. After Santana graduated, she picked up two more nights at the club. She was under a contract that lasted thirteen months and allowed her to do guest spots at other clubs two Saturdays a month. It was a ploy to get more customers to her regular club and it worked. It worked so well that DJ Slo-Pez was given a thousand dollar raise plus what she made at her guest spots at other high profile NYC clubs.

Despite how much money she was bringing in, she refused to let it last longer than a year. She took the LSAT twice, scoring a 167 in June then a 175 the following October. She applied Early Decision to Columbia Law School in early November 2016 and before the year was over, she was officially in Law School and would be starting in September 2017. She refrained from putting in her eight month notice at the club, but left "for good" two weeks before her classes started.

Their lives were progressing exactly how they wanted them to. Maybe even better. They took that into complete consideration when they were choosing their wedding date. They knew they weren't ready quite yet, but they didn't think it was far off.

They decided to give themselves two more years, choosing the third Saturday in August 2019. For most of that day, a section of Cherry Hill would be theirs thanks to Quinn's mother who had specifically been saving her alimony payments for such a thing. By then, Quinn would have two books in the series published and Santana would be starting her final year of law school.

They were ready.

That's what Santana kept telling herself as she waited in a rental tent. Rachel kept fussing with one of the curls in her hair and it was really beginning to get on her nerves.

"Rachel, please stop touching my hair. It's fine," she said calmly.

"I know. I'm just nervous," she took her hands back and started tightening the dove grey ribbon around her bouquet that matched her dress and Berto's suit perfectly, "Kurt did a really great job with all of this."

"Yeah, I know. It sucks that I'm going to have to be eternally grateful," Santana laughed. He barely charged them for his Vogue worthy designs. All they had to pay for were materials.

"Ready?" a new voice entered the tent.

"Yes," Santana sighed as Brittany stepped fully into the tent with her black folder tucked under her arm. "You look great, Britt," Santana smiled as her best friend hugged her. She was wearing the same dress as Rachel and Dez only instead of a purple sash around her waist, hers was white.

"You look gorgeous, San," Brittany said as she hugged her folder to her chest, "I always thought purple was your color."

"It's grape, Brittany," the three year old, Doyle who had been listening to Kurt a little too much came out of nowhere.

"What was I thinking?" Brittany smacked her forehead.

"I don't know!" he yelled back waving his arms around.

"You ready for your big moment with the rings?" the tall blonde bent down so she was closer to Doyle.

"Yes!"

"Are you keeping them safe?"

"Yeah, Mamá has them," he threw his thumb nonchalantly towards Rosa who was chatting with the photographer's assistant.

"Excellent!" Brittany held up her hand and received the high five she was seeking then she pointed to her cheek, "Good luck, kiss?"

"Okay, but just this one time," Doyle twisted his lips around and then planted a big kiss on Brittany's cheek.

"Thank you!"

"De nada," Doyle waved his hand then turned around to run to Vicky.

"Okay, I'm gonna go check on the other tent and then I'm taking my place up there, so everyone start getting ready," Brittany smiled a little nervous smile then left the tent.

As soon as she was out, she looked to her left to see the people that had come, she tried to see how many backs of people's heads she could recognize. It wasn't very many.

There were at least fifty people standing around, waiting for the ceremony to begin. They hadn't invited very many people, but nearly everyone they did RSVPed. A lot of them were Quinn's family members. Surprisingly enough, most of her mother's family was perfectly okay with Quinn marrying a woman. There were a few of Santana's relatives. Over the past few years, some of them started coming out of the woodwork, reconciling with their estranged family members, Rosa and Santana.

The most exciting guests were their friends from Lima. They weren't all in their hometown anymore, but no matter what, they always had that in common. Before Quinn began writing her book, she reached out to all of the people in her past that would be making an appearance in some way or another. Ilona told her she didn't have to, but she wanted to make sure they were okay with it. After that initial contact, she and Santana wound up keeping in touch with nearly everyone. It was only fitting that they all received invitations to the wedding.

It took Brittany a few minutes to make it to the tent where the other half of the ceremony was waiting. She could hear Quinn from outside the tent.

"I just want to see her! Whose idea was this tent shit?"

"Yours," Brittany popped her head in and smiled, "You didn't want to see her until you were walking towards her."

"And she didn't want to see you until then, either," Kurt assisted in reminding Quinn of her own idea.

"I know... I just-"

"We know, you haven't seen her in a day," Dez laughed and shook her head.

"Oh be quiet! You slept with your lady friend last night!" Quinn quipped at her very dear friend, Dez. She didn't know it when Brittany first started dating her, but Dez was one of the best friends Quinn had ever accidentally found.

"Quinn, honey, did you just refer to Brittany as Dez's 'lady friend?'" Judy asked. She was well aware that Brittany and Dez were more than "roommates."

"Yes, mother, I did. I spend too much time with Santana," Quinn deadpanned.

"There is no such thing," her mother smiled.

"I really came in here to ask if everyone was ready," Brittany informed the room... tent.

"Yes!" they all answered in unison.

"Perfect," Brittany exhaled, "I'll give the signal to the other side, everyone but Quinn and Judy out and I'll get everything started."

"Okay," Quinn breathed out for everyone.

"Okay," Brittany smiled nervously and stepped out of the tent. She looked across the way and saw Berto standing outside of Santana's tent looking towards her. The signal was to hold up her folder. She did it.

"Hey," her favorite voice was behind her.

"Hey," she turned around and immediately felt lips on hers.

"Don't be nervous," Dez smiled once she took her lips back, "You're going to be great. They asked you to do this for a reason."

"I know," Brittany sighed and tucked her folder under her arm. She was going to be nervous until she began speaking. It was like every performance she ever had. A big rush of adrenaline, then smooth sailing.

"And just think," Dez grabbed both of Brittany's hands, flipping up her left and Brittany's left, letting two different engagement rings sparkle in the sunlight, "Next time, you'll be standing where they are."

"I love you," Brittany rubbed her nose gently against Dez's before she kissed her one more time.

"I love you, too," she smiled back, "Now go get this shindig started!"

"Gladly," Brittany smiled then turned around and led the way to the center of the tents.

Brittany, Dez and Kurt met with Rachel, Berto, Rosa, Vicky, Doyle and Santana dead center of the two tents. Amongst the green of the cherry blossoms that gave the section of the park its name and behind the group of people waiting for the ceremony to begin, they lined up in their entering order. Brittany was by herself in front followed by Doyle and Vicky (the ring bearer and his handler), Berto and Dez, then the Man and Maid of Honor: Kurt and Rachel, followed by Rosa and Santana.

The guests were never instructed to select a side to stand on, so everyone was mostly standing in one large group together. No one even realized that things were about to begin until Brittany gave the signal to the string quartet to change the music. The back of the group turned around and from there, everyone parted leaving plenty of space for the procession to make its way to their designated spots near the pond.

Brittany led the way, making it to her spot center stage, facing the audience before Vicky and Doyle began their walk to their seats in the front. Everyone "awed" as Doyle made his way down the aisle with his mother, holding out the purple pillow with two rings secured tightly to it. As soon as they were seated, Berto and Dez walked arm in arm down the aisle to their spots up front, followed by Kurt and Rachel who also walked arm in arm to their spots just outside of Brittany.

Then the music changed.

This was the signal for two things: 1) Rosa and Santana to start walking and 2) Judy and Quinn to start walking.

"Ready?" Rosa whispered to her niece.

"Definitely," Santana answered already fighting back tears of happiness.

A little further away, a similar exchange occurred, "Ready, honey?"

"I've been ready," Quinn laughed and took her mother's arm.

Quinn kept her head down, now determined not to see her bride until she was walking up to her.

As Santana walked with her aunt, she made eye contact with everyone that was waiting for her at the "altar" at least once. She could already hear sniffles around her. Somehow she saw Miss Pillsbury... Mrs. Schuester with a tissue dabbing at her eyes. She couldn't help the tiny laugh that escaped her throat. Before she knew it she was standing in front of everyone, waiting for Quinn. After giving Brittany a quick smile and exchanging silent "good lucks" she turned around just in time to see Judy and Quinn arrive at the beginning of the aisle.

Quinn looked beautiful. Quinn always looked beautiful to Santana, but today everything was different. She was breathtaking. Her hair was pulled back and puffed a little on the top. And her dress... Santana couldn't believe that Kurt could actually design something simple. Quinn's arms and shoulders were completely bare; the halter neck of the dress leaving them so. It crossed over her the outside of her collar bones and wrapped back around her neck. Its neckline was low showing most of Quinn's chest, with each side rounding up and cutting down just below where her breasts began. The bodice was gorgeous. It started out bunched at her waist on her right side and fanned out, spreading so that the top of the rippled fabric became the left side of the neckline and the bottom ended at her hip. From there, the skirt in the front went straight down to her feet and the back fell perfectly behind her in an elegant, but modest train.

Santana simply couldn't remove her eyes from Quinn as she walked towards her.

The exact same could be said for Quinn.

In her grape, strapless, corset style gown, Santana was just as stunning. While the dress's style was completely different from her bride's, Kurt had tied them together with the bodice, giving them both a similar fanning. The fan in Santana's dress, began at her waist on the left side. Here, there was a knot where the skirt detail began. From there, the skirt folded into itself several times and fell evenly the rest of the way around, pushed out just barely by some tooling (Santana made sure that Kurt made it removable because she was not dealing with that all day).

Their eyes stayed together every second that Quinn walking down the aisle. They stayed glued together even as Rosa and Judy placed their hands in one another's.

It wasn't until Brittany said, "Good afternoon, everyone!" that they remembered that there were other people here. They handed off their bouquets to their People of Honor then turned to Brittany who had twisted her lips slightly, "You're allowed to say it back."

Laughter erupted from the crowd behind them and they looked back to the fifty-plus happy faces, "Good afternoon!"

"Oh thank you!"

More laughter from the people to their other side.

"This is more than a good afternoon, actually," Brittany smiled and looked between her best friends, "_This_ is a fantastic and beautiful afternoon. Because this afternoon, two people who couldn't be more in love and more right for each other are starting a new chapter in their already epic love story. It is my pleasure and absolute honor to help them turn the page."

Somehow a tear had already escaped from Santana's eye. Before it could get very far, Quinn was already wiping it away with her thumb. "Aw"s were heard from throughout the crowd.

Brittany finally opened up her folder and began to read the parts that she hadn't completely memorized, "We all hope to find true love. Fairy tales tell us that true love will solve all and nothing can overpower it. As we get older, we find that there are a lot of things in the world that make us think that couldn't possibly be true.

"Quinn and Santana make me believe in true love and all of its powers. I've seen the world try to defeat them on more than one occasion. Each and every time it's been to no avail and I have complete faith that their love will always conquer. Always."

With tears finding their way into both of their eyes, Quinn and Santana mouthed "I love you," to each other at the exact same time. From nearly every angle sniffles could be heard.

"Thanks to Quinn and Santana, I also believe in fate," Brittany continued, "I used to believe that we create our own destiny. I know now that without everything else that happens in the world, our destinies would never fall into place.

"As many of you know, Quinn and Santana have known each other for quite some time. They met their freshman year of high school in Lima, Ohio eleven years ago. After graduation, they went to different places: Quinn went to Chicago and Santana moved to this great city. But two years later, they met unexpectedly again at a bookstore in Union Square.

"We all ask ourselves 'what if...?' in relation to ours pasts. Like, 'what if I took the 1 instead of the A? Would I have been late for work?'" Brittany looked to Kurt, "'What if I didn't go to the Fashion Institute, but had auditioned for Juilliard?'" she looked at Rachel, "'What if I hadn't dropped out of Juilliard?'" she looked at Dez, '"What if I never went to Alvin Ailey?'" then she looked between Santana and Quinn, "'What if I never went to the Strand?' We can't change the past because we were meant to make those decisions and do all of those things. I strongly believe that now."

"Preach!" came a voice from the guests that five people standing up front recognized.

"And now," Brittany continued after the rumble of laughter softened, "Before we get to the part that's really going to get the sniffles going: Quinn and Santana have asked that Santana's Aunt, Vicky read something to you all."

Vicky got up from her seat with Rosa and Doyle, walking behind Berto and Rachel, then took the folder from Brittany. Brittany stepped to her right and Vicky took her place in the center. She cleared her throat and began, "Sonnet One-Sixteen, William Shakespeare:

"Let me not to the marriage of true minds  
Admit impediments. Love is not love  
Which alters when it alteration finds,  
Or bends with the remover to remove:  
O no! it is an ever-fixed mark  
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;  
It is the star to every wandering bark,  
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.  
Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks  
Within his bending sickle's compass come:  
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,  
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.  
If this be error and upon me proved,  
I never writ, nor no man ever loved."

When she was finished, she handed the folder back to Brittany then turned to the two women in front of her. She grabbed each girls hands and squeezed them before she returned to her seat. Brittany paused for a moment when she returned to her place to let the moment sink in and probably to prepare for what was to come next, "Quinn and Santana have written their own vows. I hope you all brought tissues. Santana?"

Upon hearing her name, she took a breath and turned around to Rachel, who was taking a piece of paper from Berto. Rachel turned back with her hundred watt smile and handed her the piece of paper that was sandwiched tightly between her two index fingers. Holding two bouquets and trying to pass along a piece of paper was a difficulty they had overlooked when planning this out.

She unfolded the paper and took a breath. She didn't really need it, she knew exactly what it said. She just wanted it on her so that she could give it Quinn when today was over.

"Quinn?"

"Yes, my love," Quinn answered so softly, barely anyone heard it but Santana.

Suddenly, everyone else was gone again.

"Quinn, I promise to love you every second of my life and every second after that. I will always be there for you, no matter what that big bad world throws our way. I promise to cook for you every day and make you laugh whenever I can, especially when it's inappropriate," Santana laughed when Quinn laughed, allowing another tear to find her cheek. She put her hand down and grabbed Quinn's other hand. She was never looking at the paper to begin with, "I'll always be honest. I'll always support you, no matter what. And I promise that I will always fight for you. Whatever you need, whatever takes. I won't give up. Ever."

Santana inhaled sharply trying fight away the ever building tears in her throat. She heard Brittany sniffle, then out of the corner of her eye, saw her dab her eye with her pinky.

"Okay," another sniffle, "Quinn?"

Quinn could barely breathe. Her throat was so tight with tears, it was getting difficult. She wasn't sure how she was going to be able say _anything_ let alone the words she'd written that left tear stains on the paper.

Speaking of paper, she felt it on her left arm. Kurt was handing it to her, subtly. She swallowed hard as she took the paper from his hand. She never opened it, she returned her hand to Santana's and breathed in Santana's smile.

"Santana?"

In response, Santana lifted their outside hands and kissed Quinn's top knuckles.

"I love you," Quinn breathed through the pressure in her throat and kept her eyes trained on Santana, whose smile was keeping her from losing it, "There will never be a moment in my life when I don't. I promise you that." She started to laugh, "I promise to kiss away all of your freak outs." Santana closed her eyes and laughed silently while she shook her head. "I promise to eat everything you ever cook for me," they laughed together. Quinn looked down for a second at their hands, then back up to Santana's still beautiful, smiling face, "And I promise you forever. I promise you forever and everything that comes with it, whatever that may be. We'll see. I'll do anything I have to, to make sure that forever happens. I promise you that."

All Santana wanted to do was kiss Quinn. She was fighting the magnetic pull. It wasn't time yet.

"Oh," Brittany exhaled and dabbed at the corners of her eyes, "That's all you had?" Her sarcastic comment brought laughter back to the ceremony. "And now for the rings." She looked over to Doyle who immediately scrambled out of his seat.

Doyle held out his hands to his mother and whispered, "Right Tana. Left Quinn." Rosa placed the correct ring into each hand then kissed her son's forehead. He shook his head then turned away to do his job. Fists balled tightly at his sides, he made his way to Quinn and Santana with a big, proud smile on his face. When he got there, he held out his his fists, then opened them up for Quinn and Santana to take the rings they were going to slip onto each other's fingers.

"Thank you," they said together, then they both bent down and kissed his cheeks.

"Yuck!" he wiped off both of his cheeks and stormed back over to his mothers as everyone laughed.

"Santana?" Brittany said over the soft laughter of the crowd.

"Yes?"

"Please repeat after me: With this ring, I thee wed..."

Santana took a deep breath, held Quinn's hand with the white gold band with 9 round channel set diamonds at the top of her ring finger, "With this ring, I thee wed..."

"And promise with all of my heart..."

She kept her smile and her tears at bay, while she looked into Quinn's eyes, "And promise with all of my heart..."

"To fulfill all that I have vowed to you on this day."

"To fulfill all that I have vowed to you on this day," she exhaled and slid the ring all the way down to the other diamonds she had placed on her finger over three years before.

"Quinn?" Brittany shifted a little and looked at the girl whose attention she was asking for.

"Yes?"

"Please repeat after me: With this ring, I thee wed..."

Quinn held Santana's left hand in hers and held the matching wedding band at the top of her ring finger, "With this ring, I thee wed..."

"And promise with all of my heart..."

"And promise with all of my heart..." Quinn looked between her hand and Santana's eyes, then settled on the higher of the two.

"To fulfill all that I have vowed to you on this day."

Quinn inhaled and exhaled a smile. As she slid the ring down Santana's finger, she repeated, "To fulfill all that I have vowed to you on this day."

They kept eye contact with each other and held each other's hands as Brittany announced to all, "And now the moment we've all been waiting for: By the power vested in me for this one day by the great State of New York, I am so excited to pronounce you Wife and Wife! Now finally, get your sweet married lady kisses on!"

Smiles beaming on both of their faces, Quinn and Santana kept their hands linked as they stepped towards each other. Their lips interlocked for the first time on this new page. Both of their stomachs rose into their chests causing them both to laugh into each other, breaking the kiss but keeping their faces an intimate distance apart.

"Ladies and Gentleman, friends and family: Quinn and Santana Lopez," Brittany announced.

They kissed once more, then turned to everyone.

"Oh and just a reminder that everyone is invited to The London NYC for the reception. It starts at six!" Brittany shouted.

The reception was starting two hours after the ceremony was over because the list of photos that were being taken afterwards was quite extensive. It included taking photos with a lot of the guests and a trip to Union Square for photos in front of a certain bookstore.

After the announcement, Quinn and Santana began their traditional walk back down the aisle that was recreated as soon as they started walking. They exchanged smiles with familiar faces and returned waves to some.

Just before they reached the end, Santana saw something that made her legs stop moving. Her eyes started getting blurry and Quinn's grip on her hand tightened. She blinked her eyes, trying to clear her vision and trying to see if the person that had made all of this happen to her was in fact someone she hadn't seen in seven years. She was barely able to speak and when she did, it came out in a squeak, "Mami?"

"Mija," the woman exhaled through tears.

"Mami!"

As if years had never passed them by, Santana wrapped her arms around her mother. Tears fell heavily from her cheeks as she held on tight.

"Te ves tan hermosa y _tan_ feliz," Maribel's tears fell to her daughter's shoulder.

"I can't believe you're here!" Santana couldn't seem to let go.

"I couldn't miss my daughter's wedding!" Maribel pushed Santana back to look at her, "Oh Mija, I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry that I listened to your father! Hemos terminado y yo nunca te voy a dejar fuera de mi vida otra vez."

"You left him?" Santana was shocked. She felt something touch her elbow; she assumed it was Quinn.

"She's staying with me," it was Judy.

"It's because of Judy that I'm here," Maribel smiled at Quinn's mother.

"You did something huge for me, I owed you something just as big," Judy smiled her own teary smile.

Santana turned and hugged her mother-in-law. "Thank you," her voice cracked through her tears.

"Mrs. Lopez?" Quinn said quietly.

"Aye dios mio! Quinn!" Maribel squealed, "Tengo una nuera! No more Mrs. Lopez!"

"Maribel?" Quinn tried, she wasn't sure if could call her 'Mamá' just like Santana couldn't call Judy 'Mom.'

"That's better," she answered opening up her arms to hug her daughter-in-law.

"Stop the waterworks!" Kurt called out, "Pictures!"

Everyone looked to him and as soon as he saw Santana he huffed and yelled, "Rachel, fix her!"

"Mija, can we talk after today?" Maribel asked with a hopeful look in her eyes.

"Please," Santana answered. They could talk tomorrow if she wanted. She and Quinn weren't leaving for their honeymoon until Monday, "You'll stay to be in the photos, right?"

Her mother's face lit up and she started nodding before she said, "Sí!"

"Great," Santana sighed then turned to Rachel, "Okay, let's go fix the mess I made."

"To the tent!" Rachel said and linked her arm into Santana's to guide her.

"I can't believe Judy did that," Santana said quietly to Rachel as they got closer to the tent. She looked back to see her mother talking to Quinn and Judy. All of them had gigantic smiles on their faces.

"That might be one of the best wedding gifts ever," Rachel nodded, still in awe of the entire exchange that had happened just moments before.

"I just..." Santana was fighting more tears, "I really thought I was never going to see her again."

"I know," Rachel guided the still awestruck Santana to one of the chairs and began touching up her make-up.

"And she left him," she sat up straighter and was nearly poked in the eye with a pencil.

"I know," Rachel laughed, "Sit still." She went back to reapplying Santana's eyeliner, "Does my make-up look terrible?"

Santana looked up at Rachel who had one tiny smudge in the corner of her eye. "Just right here," she pointed to the same spot on her own face.

"You two and your sappy shit, making me bawl my eyes out," Rachel huffed as she wiped away the smudge with her finger tip, "Better?"

"Yeah," Santana chuckled, "Am I all set?"

"Uh uh," Rachel shook her head, "I just need to touch up your cheeks and re-powder them." Without haste Rachel got to the touch ups. She was extremely careful not to get anything on Santana's dress and just for good measure, found something to drape over her front while she powdered, "There. Now you're all set for a million more pictures."

"Excellent," Santana got up, tossed the towel onto the table and started to walk out of the tent so she could be with Quinn again.

"Santana wait a second!" Rachel took two quick steps to stop her from walking out. Santana put on her impatient face and waited just like she was asked. "Can I just hug my best friend that just got married? Please?" Rachel was pouting.

She still couldn't say no to girls that pouted... she was still working on it. "Of course you can," Santana sighed and opened her arms for her petite bestie, who wasn't so petite today in four inch heels.

"Just so you know," Rachel said as she squeezed Santana tight, "This is one of the happiest days of my life."

"I think that's what I'm supposed to be saying," Santana quirked up her eye brow as they ended the embrace.

"My best friends are happy. I'm happy," Rachel smiled that gigantic smile that could be seen every day in Times Square, blown up to bigger than billboard size, "You guys are ranked up there with my Tony nomination."

"Wow," Santana was seriously surprised by the admission.

"Okay, before that can go to your head, let's get back out there," Rachel laughed and led the way out.

Once they returned, the many photographs commenced. Photos with guests went first, beginning with a Glee Club reunion. They couldn't resist. Mr. and Mrs. Schuester, Mercedes, Mike, Tina, Sam, Blaine, Artie and even Puck had all made the trip from their new places in life to help celebrate their old friends' new endeavor. With the newlyweds dead center, all of the Glee Club alumni gathered together for a photo in front of the pond.

There was a photo with the Berry men, a mentor photo with Ilona and Sonny, photos with Quinn's family members, photos with Santana's family members and a picture with Brittany's family. Then all of the traditional photos with the wedding parties. They even got Doyle to stand being kissed on both of his cheeks again.

Once they were done, everyone left the park and headed for their next destinations. For Quinn, Santana and the photographer, that was the Strand. It took a while to get there but it was worth it. The photographer got shots of them walking towards it hand-in-hand, then several of Santana dipping Quinn and kissing her in front of it. Then they went inside. They were smart enough to call ahead and make sure it was alright. All the kind people at the Strand asked was that they receive some copies so they could have documentation of the couple's love story. They went straight to the classics where the photographer made them recreate the moment first re-saw each other. It was cheesy, but it actually made beautiful photographs. As soon as they were in their spots they remembered exactly how they felt when it happened. Those feelings mixed with the overwhelming feelings they felt for each other on this day, giving them the most beautiful expressions of love.

They met around the side of the table just like they did on that day five years before. As soon as they were together, their lips met. It wasn't what they did on that day, but it didn't matter. This was the picture that they were framing and putting up in their home.

"I love you," Santana whispered breathlessly as she pressed her forehead to Quinn's.

"I love you," Quinn whispered back as a tear fell from her eye. It slipped down her cheek and landed on her hand that was being held by her wife in between them.

"You know," Santana smiled after she kissed Quinn's tear off of her hand, "I have this seriously overwhelming urge to stand in the limo with my head out of the sun roof yelling that the beautiful woman inside of it is my wife."

"You will _not_ be doing that," Quinn laughed and scolded Santana.

"What, you don't want everyone to know?" Santana faked being hurt.

"Of course I do, that's why I'm changing my name, but I think sticking your head out of a sun roof while a car is in motion is illegal," Quinn quirked up her eyebrow.

"You're no fun," Santana pursed her lips and started walking Quinn out of the store.

"Say that to me again tonight," Quinn bit her lip and popped her eyebrow up quickly.

"I won't," Santana gulped out as she thought about what Quinn was insinuating. She actually forgot what they were doing as she thought about making love to her wife.

Her wife.

Quinn smirked as she guided Santana back to the limo that was going to take them to their reception, "Let's go celebrate with the people we love."

"You're my wife," Santana sighed as the limo driver opened the door for them. It was as if everything had just sunk in.

Quinn turned back and smiled at the silly woman who was holding her hand, "And you're mine."

* * *

**A/N 1: This is really it. I can't write another sequel. I _really_ hope that this wasn't a disappointing end. Since I know literally nothing about what it's like to be married, I refuse to write what would come after thi because I don't like writing about things that I really know nothing about (I'll get back to you in about 3 years, though). I also really really really want to write something new. I mean _new_ new. I know I've promised a fourth Pezberry installment and that will happen, but I have some other ideas and they want to find their way out of my head, too.**

**2: I know a lot of you have been asking for more Brittany and Dez. I also know that I left you all hanging with them... sort of. I'm willing to write them a little bit. It won't be long, but I'll do it. Mostly because I _love_ them. Dez is my favorite original character that I've ever created. Ilona is second and Berto is third just in case you were wondering.**

**3: Feel free to send me one-shot requests. I'm serious. I know just I went and said I want to write something new, but I do love these characters and while I don't want to write another full length fic, I am 100% willing to write up some one-shots. Anything from adorably fluffy to extremely smutty. I'm all about it.**

**4: Last but not least, thank you. All of you. This has been my most reviewed fic ever. I've read every single one of your comments (some of them more than once) and I have appreciated every single one of them. Thanks for sticking with me even when my brain decided it needed a month long break. I really do hope that this last chapter was satisfying. I know it skipped a lot of time, but I needed to. So, for the last time: let me know what you're thinking. I can't wait to read all of your comments.**

**Lots and lots of love to you all.**

**Oh, and Hearts and 3s to my Stage Mom :D**


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